Bangladesh to begin evacuations as cyclone approaches

TIL Desk/World/Dhaka/ The Bangladesh government will begin evacuating people from the country”s coastal regions to safety on Tuesday as Cyclone Amphan approaches with growing intensity, according to Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Shah Kamal.

Cyclone Amphan moved northwards towards the coasts over the west central Bay of Bengal and was centred at about 800-900 km from the maritime ports at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

Speaking on Monday, Kamal said the cyclone was likely to cut its path through Bangladesh”s coasts sometime between Tuesday midnight and Wednesday evening. “We will start moving people into cyclone shelters from Tuesday afternoon.”

Amphan is likely to move in a northerly direction and then recurve north-northeastwards before cutting its path through the Bangladesh coast between Khulna and Chattogram, said senior meteorologist Md Bazlur Rashid. The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagherhat, Jhalokathi, Pirozpur, Borguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, and Chattogram will be under the danger signals.