Severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ is churning towards the Bangladesh coast and expected to cross over the country from Friday (May 3) evening.
Meteorologists say that this will be the most powerful in the last ten years. Currently, the force is 160 to 180 km per hour. However, it’s believed that since the cyclone is coming over India, the impact on Bangladesh will be less severe with comparatively lower rate of devastation.
Met office sources say that in the last ten years, five cyclones hit Bangladesh and of them, the most powerful was ‘Mora’, which hit on May 30, 2017 with a speed of 146 km per hour.
Senior meteorologist Abdul Mannan, said, “Fani’ may hit India’s Odisha coast on May 3 evening, and once it hits the Indian coast, it may weaken.”
It may cross over Bangladesh with a wind speed of 110 to 120 km per hour, he added.
Dhaka University Lecturer of the department of disaster science and management, BM Rabbi Hossain, says, “Fani’ is much stronger than Aila and is still around 1000 km away from Bangladesh, it will be emasculated once it hits India and by the time it enters Bangladesh, ‘Fani’ will be much less ferocious.”
Entering through Satkhira, the Sundarbans will work as a barrier, he added.
Secretary of the ministry of disaster management, Shah Kalam, says, “Storms often change courses and it may change direction when it hits Bangladesh. All Red Crescent and volunteers are going around warning people with residents in high risk areas being evacuated.”
The very severe cyclonic storm was 735 km southwest of Mongla port and 760 km Southwest of Payra port at 6pm on Thursday.
The coastal districts of Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakati,Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number seven, the weather office said.
The maritime ports in Chattogram have been asked to hoist danger signal number six. This danger signal is also effective for the coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and their offshore islands.
Meanwhile, the maritime ports of Cox’s Bazar have been advised to keep hoisted local warning signal number four.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) on Thursday suspended all the types of water transport services across the country.
The movement of water vessels on Hatiya and Sandwip sea routes was suspended while large ships instructed to leave ChattogramPort.
Meteorologists classified Fani as an “extremely severe cyclonic storm” in India.
Fani, which is still about over 200 kilometers off the Indian coastline strengthened rapidly on Monday and Tuesday, becoming the strongest storm to move through the Bay of Bengal this early in the year since Tropical Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
Nargis hit Myanmar with winds over 200 kph (124 mph), bringing a devastating storm surge and flooding rainfall that resulted in more than 100,000 deaths in the country.
Fani too is expected to bring large storm surges and significant wind damage near the landfall location inundating a vast landmass particularly in India.
Weather experts said parts of eastern India and Bangladesh could expect 150 to 300 mm (6 to 12 inches) of rain with locally higher amounts regardless of the intensity.