Severe cyclone batters Bangladesh coast, islands<\/p>\n
CHITTAGONG (Reuter): A severe cyclone in the Bay of Bengal
\nlashed the Bangladesh coast yesterday, demolishing homes in its
\npath and forcing the evacuation of more than half a million
\npeople.<\/p>\n
There was no word on casualties as the cyclone pounded the
\nCox's Bazar and Teknaf areas, the country's southernmost tip,
\nwith winds of more than 200 kph, officials said.<\/p>\n
The government ordered a disaster alert and evacuation efforts
\nwere in full swing as the cyclone hit the flat coastal region,
\nthreatening major economic damage, officials said.<\/p>\n
"The core of the cyclone has yet to arrive but the wind speed
\nhas already passed 200 kph," district administrator in Cox's
\nBazar Ali Imam Majumder said, quoting the local weather office.<\/p>\n
"Vast areas have been affected with electricity supply and
\ntelecommunications disrupted. Many houses have been destroyed and
\nwe can see sheets of tin from roof tops flying like tree leaves,"
\nMajumder told Reuters.<\/p>\n
"Widespread damage is feared but we still don't have reports
\nof casualties. Things will become clear once the storm is fully
\nover," an eyewitness in Cox's Bazar, Nurul Islam, said.<\/p>\n
Weather officials said the core of the cyclone could trigger a
\ntidal surge of up to five metres.<\/p>\n
Authorities fear high seas will inundate many low-lying areas
\nin the South Asian country. The country's worst cyclone in 1991
\nkilled at least 138,000 people and left millions homeless.<\/p>\n
They said the main port city of Chittagong, to the north of
\nCox's Bazar, was also battered by winds of more than 100 kph.
\nElectricity in the city had been disrupted.<\/p>\n
More than 33,000 Red Crescent workers and other volunteers
\nwere helping the evacuation of people on the coast and offshore
\nislands. Over 160,000 people were moved to shelters in Cox's
\nBazar district alone.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina canceled a planned trip to Spain
\nSunday night as the government put the army and navy on high
\nalert for emergency rescue and relief operations.<\/p>\n
Air force planes from Chittagong base were moved to Dhaka
\nwhile the navy sent vessels to safety.<\/p>\n
Telecommunications with Teknaf and Cox's Bazar had been cut.
\nLocal Red Crescent officials said Teknaf might have also suffered
\nmajor damage.<\/p>\n
The Saint Martin's island near Teknaf was under two meters of
\nwater. Several other islands had been battered by the cyclone and
\ncould be inundated, Red Crescent officials said quoting field
\nvolunteers.<\/p>\n
Rice crops and shrimp beds were likely to be affected,
\nagriculture officials said.<\/p>\n
"There are no significant crops, except for some rice, in the
\nfields now but shrimp cultivation may be badly affected," said
\nthe chairman of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation,
\nM.A. Wadud.<\/p>\n
The country earned US$265 million through exporting shrimps in
\n1995 and 1996, Masudur Rahman, a fishery ministry official, said.
\nFishermen have been warned not to leave port.<\/p>\n
Dozens of ships berthed at Chittagong and Mongla ports were
\nmoved to outer anchorages, port officials said.<\/p>\n
"We are taking this precaution so the ships do not collide
\nduring the storm and jam the channel by sinking," said Chittagong
\nPort Harbormaster Quamrul Islam.<\/p>\n
As state-run radio and television broadcast frequent storm
\nwarnings, hundreds of women held open-air prayers in Dhaka
\nseeking divine protection.<\/p>\n
People fleeing their homes or being moved to cyclone shelters
\nhad been asked to store drinking water, food and other essentials
\nunderground to help them after the cyclone.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/severe-cyclone-batters-bangladesh-coast-islands-1447893297",
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