Though the activities at the country’s premier seaport Chittagong Port have been suspended for the past two days due to Cyclone Remal, the port partially got activated through handling containers at jetties and yards and transporting goods on Monday noon.
However the vessels are yet to dock at jetties.
Omar Faruq, secretary of the port, said no ships arrived at the port from the outer anchorage on Monday due to adverse weather conditions. Operational work can begin if ships arrive within the next few hours.
He, however, said administrative and internal port activities have started at noon.
Earlier, on Saturday night, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) asked the Chittagong Port to hoist danger signal number 6 under the impact of the Remal.
Cyclone Remal: Chittagong Port Authority issues alert 3
In response, the port authorities issued their second-highest alert level, ‘Alert-3’, which ordered the suspension of cargo handling and unloading activities.
Subsequently, on Sunday morning, the BMD issued the great danger signal No- 9 while the port authority imposed its own Alert-4', meaning the highest level of internal alert.
As a result, all ships were sent to deep sea from the port jetty and all port activities were declared suspended considering the overall condition.
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Meanwhile, to avoid damage from the cyclone, Bangabandhu Tunnel, constructed under the Karnaphuli River in Patenga in the port city of Chattogram, was reopened after being closed for 18 hours on Monday.