Alert on coasts as cyclonic storm Bijli roaring over Bay

Fishing trawlers to stay put at Firingi Bazar in Chittagong yesterday after a cautionary signal was raised due to formation of cyclone Bijli over the Bay of Bengal.Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder

Bijli, the season's first cyclonic storm formed over the Bay of Bengal early yesterday, was heading north towards the coastline, prompting the meteorological department to raise the cautionary signal to four.
Port authorities and administration were taking preparations in anticipation of a cyclone strike.
Correspondents from coastal districts said the sea was very rough as waves up to five feet higher than usual ones were buffeting the shore.
A few thousand fishing trawlers were sailing back to the coast.
The local administration was alerting people to a possible hit by Bijli. Trained volunteers of the government's Cyclone Preparedness Programme and Red Crescent were on standby in the coastal areas, said admin sources.
As of 1:00am today, the cyclone was around 675 km southwest off Chittagong Port, 630 km off Cox's Bazar and 520 km south/southwest off Mongla Port, said the last special bulletin released by the Met office.
“It is likely to intensify further and move in a north or north-easterly direction,” the bulletin read.
Under the storm's influence, a deep convection was taking place over north of the Bay. Squally weather may affect the seaports, warned the bulletin.
The maximum sustained wind speed within a 54-km radius of the cyclone centre was around 60 kph, rising to 80 kph in gusts or squalls.
The maritime ports have been asked to elevate the local cautionary signal to four.
All boats and trawlers have been advised to remain close to the coast so they could move to safety at short notice.
Our Khulna correspondent reports: Mongla Port Authority (MPA) has taken all-out measures to prevent loss of life and damage to property.
MPA Member (operation) Lutfar Rahman told The Daily Star that four foreign ships had already been moved to a safer place.
Three of them are laden with imports including wheat and fertiliser while the other is waiting to be loaded with raw jute for Pakistan.
A correspondent from Cox's Bazar said it was drizzling throughout the day there.
At least six thousand trawlers that went to the deep waters were getting back to the shore, said Mujibur Rahman, president of district boat owners association.
Half of those were supposed to come ashore by last night while the rest by this afternoon, he added.
Our correspondent from Barisal reports: The plying of water vessels with length under 65 feet has been suspended while bigger ones have been ordered to operate with caution.
Our correspondent from Patuakhali adds: The district disaster management committee held an emergency meeting yesterday with acting deputy commissioner (DC) Lakhan Chandra Devnath in the chair.
It asked all seven UNOs and officials concerned to take necessary steps to deal with a potentially disastrous storm.