Bangladesh State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman on Monday (October 24, 2022) said there is nothing much to worry about the approaching cyclone Sitrang as it’s unlikely to be a super storm.

The state minister said this while talking to reporters at the Secretariat after a meeting of Inter-Ministerial Disaster Management Coordination Committee.

Read Cyclone Sitrang: Flight operations at Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Barishal airports suspended

Cyclone Sitrang over east-central Bay and adjoining west-central Bay is moving in a north-northwesterly direction and likely to intensify into a severe cyclone, he said.

Sitrang is likely to hit 13 coastal districts and the government has prepared 7,030 cyclone shelters for the people being evacuated, he added.

Enamur added that the Army, the Navy and the Coast Guard members will evacuate people from hard-to-reach areas as cyclone Sitrang is heading towards Bangladesh.

“We’ve requested the representatives of the armed forces and the Coast Guard to assist us in relocating people from danger zones to the safe cyclone shelters and they’ve agreed. The volunteers of the Fire Service and the Red Crescent are also working alongside volunteers of Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) to ensure safety to the affected people,” Enamur said.

Replying to a question, he said that Sitrang is a severe cyclonic storm and it is unlikely to turn into a very severe or super cyclone like Sidr in 2007.

“We’ve prepared a total of 7,030 cylcone shelters in 15 coastal districts where around 25 lakh people can be accommodated. In each of these districts, we’ve allocated Tk 5 lakh and supplied daily essentials like rice and lentil so that people can eat cooked food. Besides, dry foods like biscuits have also been made available so that people may not suffer from hunger,” Enamur said.

Asked when Sitrang will hit Bangladesh, the state minister said that the impact will be between 6:00am to 7:00am on Tuesday morning.

“The Met office has hoisted danger signal 7 in various coastal districts including Bagerhat, which may go up to signal 10. We’ll ensure the safety of people and their cattle, but we can’t assure that the agricultural and fisheries resources will remain unaffected,” Enamur added.

Cyclone Sitrang may cross Barishal-Chattogram coast near Khepupara by early morning Tuesday (October 25, 2022) and heavy rains would continue to lash the country under its impact, according to the latest bulletin of Bangladesh Metrological Department.

Read Preparations taken to evacuate 3 lakh people in Bhola char areas