The severe cyclonic storm Fani is likely to hit Khulna and its adjoining south and southwestern parts of Bangladesh during midnight today to tomorrow’s morning.
“The cyclonic storm has already crossed the Odisha coast of India and it is approaching towards the west Bengal and likely to hit Khulna and its adjoining areas of Bangladesh during today’s midnight to tomorrow’s morning,” a Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) special bulletin said tonight.
Earlier, BMD Director Shamsuddin Ahmed at a press briefing in city’s BMD office requested the people living in the low-lying areas to take refuge to cyclone shelters quickly as the country is now faced with the risk of the cyclone storm ‘Fani’.
The cyclone ‘Fani’ will cross the country over the night and the low-lying areas of the coastal region also will be inundated by storm surge of 4-5 feet high above normal astronomical tide, said the official.
The very severe cyclonic storm over northwest bay and adjoining west-central bay moved slightly north-northeastwards over the same area and was centred at 3pm today about 445 km southwest of Mongla port, 495 km southwest of Payra port, 660 km west-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port and 660 km west-southwest of Chattogram port, it said.
The bulletin said Khulna and adjoining southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh may experience the peripheral effect of the ‘Fani’.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 64 kms of the storm centre is about 120 Kph rising to 140 kph in gusts or squalls. Sea will remain very high near the cyclone Centre.
The met office asked maritime ports of Mongla and Payra to keep hoisting danger signal number seven and maritime port of Chattogram has been advised to hoist danger signal number six.
