Khulna preparing for Cyclone Yaas

Authorities today said they are preparing 814 shelters to move and evacuate people should Cyclone Yaas hit the south-western coast.

School buildings will mostly be used as cyclone shelters along the coast, said District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Azizul Haque Joardar.

He said 349 shelters have been set up until Saturday and more shelters are being prepared.

The shelters will have to accommodate people at half the capacity by maintaining Covid-19 health restrictions, he said.

Currently 114 medical teams have been kept ready for emergency response, he said.

Adequate quantity of dry food, rice and pulses are being prepared other than possible financial help. The programme will be implemented as per government instructions, he further said.

Cyclone Yaas, still at its brewing stage, might hit the coastal area after Tuesday, the meteorological office in Dhaka said.

According to the meteorological office, a low pressure has formed in and around the east-central Bay of Bengal. This will condense and create depression which can later turn into deep depression and cyclones. This could hit the coast of Bangladesh.

It can't yet be ascertained which areas the cyclone will hit but meteorologists believe the cyclone could hit the south and southwest of the country and is more likely to pass through the southern side of the Sundarbans.

However, the direction may change.