Hamoon claims three lives
Cyclone Hamoon is causing heavy rain and strong winds in some coastal districts, including Cox's Bazar, and is likely to cross the southeastern region today.
Hamoon claimed three lives in Cox's Bazar last night.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Vibhishan Kanti Das of the district said two people died in Pahartali and Maheshkhali upazilas.
Abdul Khalek was killed when the wind and rain caused a wall to fall on him in Pahartali and Haradhan died in a landslide in Maheshkhali.
Locals said Azgar Ali was killed when a tree fell on him in Chakaria.
The ADC said a team from the administration visited affected areas and found many homes in Samiti Para of the town damaged.
Many areas adjoining Cox's Bazar town was without power.
The storm has weakened and it was moving northeastwards. It may cross Cox's Bazar and Chattogram coasts near Kutubdia, a special bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department said around 8:00pm yesterday.
The maximum sustained wind speed within 54km of the storm centre is about 62km per hour and it rises to 88kph in gusts. The sea remained very rough near the cyclone, the bulletin said.
It added that under the peripheral effects of the cyclone and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Satkhira, and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by a wind-driven surge of 3-5 feet height above normal astronomical tide.
The government has made necessary preparations to tackle the possible effects of the storm. Cyclone shelters were opened and medical teams kept ready in the coastal areas. The fire service, police, coast guard, navy, and volunteers have been asked to be on standby for emergency response in Khulna, Bagerhat, Barguna, Patuakhali, and Chattogram districts.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) suspended operations of all types of vessels on all inland waterways. The instruction will remain in force until further notice, said officials.
Maritime ports of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar have been advised to hoist danger signal 7 while Payra and Mongla ports have been asked to hoist danger signal 5.
All fishing boats and trawlers in north Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice.
Earlier, the government asked people of 10 coastal districts to move to shelters by 8:00pm yesterday. The districts are Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Barguna, Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, and Chandpur.
"Around 1.5 million people from these districts will be taken to shelter centres," said Enamur Rahman, state minister for disaster management and relief, after a meeting on cyclone preparedness at the Secretariat.
He said the local administrations and volunteers have already started the evacuation activities.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of St Martin's Island of Cox's Bazar have been asked to take safe shelter while 64 shelters have been prepared with sufficient dry food, said Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Adnan Chowdhury.
Around 1,400 tourists were brought back to Teknaf from the island on three tourist ships, he said, adding that some 150 tourists decided to stay.
"We have made preparations for 10,000 people. Dry foods are kept ready," he said.
Operations of all water vessels on the Teknaf-St Martin's Island route remain suspended until further notice, the UNO added.
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