Deputy Commissioner of the district SM Mostafa Kamal said several thousand people of Shyamnagar and Ashashuni upazilas have been evacuated to cyclone centres.

The evacuees have been provided with masks and towels to use so that they can avert the possible transmission of coronavirus, the Deputy Commissioner said.

Besides, control rooms have been opened in all the unions and upazilas while 250 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 12 lakh cash have been allocated, he said.

Meanwhile, many people have taken shelter in 1,272 cyclone centres of the district while some others in schools and mosques.

ANM Abujar Gifari, Upazila Nirbahi officer (UNO) of Shyamnagar upazila, said 65,000 people of coastal areas in the upazila have moved to cyclone centres.

Read Also:Maritime ports of Mongla, Payra asked to hoist danger signal No 10

The coastal area of Satkhira has been experiencing strong winds and rains since Tuesday night due to the impact of cyclone ‘Amphan’.

Apart from the district administration, members of the police, BGB, Navy, Coast Guard and Fire Services are working to evacuate people from coastal islands under Gabura, Padmapukur and other unions to the shelters.

According to the latest Met office bulletin, the maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist great danger signal number 10 as Cyclone Amphan is all set to slam the coastal districts on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

‘Amphan’ centred at 6 am on Wednesday about 565 km southwest off Chattogram port, 545 km southwest off Cox’s Bazar port, 390 km southwest off Mongla port and 410 km southwest off Payra port, said a Met office bulletin.

It is likely to move in a north-northeasterly direction and may cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near the Sundarbans this afternoon or evening, the bulletin said.

Also Read:Cyclone Amphan: Social distancing at shelters a big challenge