Depression over Bay: Most tourists evacuated from St Martin’s

Most of the tourists have been evacuated from St Martin's Island due to inclement weather caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal.

Around 1,500 tourists were brought back to Teknaf from the island yesterday evening by three tourist ships, said Md Adnan Chowdhury, Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer.

Jahir Uddin Bhuiya, BIWTA traffic supervisor in Teknaf, said all the three ships returned to Teknaf safely by 5:30pm with the tourists.

Around 100 to 150 tourists have opted to remain in the island, said UNO Adnan.

Earlier yesterday, the upazila administration instructed the tourists who went on a trip to the island to return by 3:00pm.

All the water transports on the Teknaf-St Martin's Island route will remain closed from today until further notice, he added.

Meanwhile, maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal-3 as the deep depression over west-central Bay and adjoining area moved slightly north-northeastwards and lies in the same area, according to Met Office.

Mujibur Rahman, union parishad chairman of St Martin's Island, said it has been drizzling since Sunday night.

The weather is gloomy and the sea is slowly getting rougher, he added.