& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Cyclone may hit coastal areas early today

Star Report
The authorities sounded a red alert along the south-eastern coastal areas of the country yesterday as a cyclonic storm packing winds up to 150 kmph, whipping storm surges rising to four metres was poised to strike Chittagong- Noakhali coast in the early hours of today.'
Reports from the coastal districts said at mid night last night the tip of the storm began probing the areas, triggering heavy rains and high winds, in undating low-lying areas with at least three to four feet water.
Troops from the Army and the Navy sailors were ordered to help evacuation of people from the coastal belt and off-shore islands as the storm roared across the North Bay.
Authorities also ordered the aircraft and vessels of the Air Force and the Navy out of Chittagong base and port as a precautionary measure. Troops were also put on alert to help post-cyclone rescue operations.
Chittagong Port authorities ordered ships from the jetty to outer anchorage and suspended all cargo handling at 2 pm. In Mongla port, the ships were also ordered to moor safely and cargo handling was closed at 8 am. The Daily Star Correspondents from Chittagong and Khulna reported.
Our Cox's Bazar Correspondent reported last night that all precautionary measures were taken by the district administration. It lost telecommunication contact with Kutubdia island at 7.30 pm. High winds accompanied by rains created fears among the people, who rushed to cyclone shelters and concrete structures as the red alert was sounded.
Barring about 50 fishing boats, all the boats were back to safety, said Kabir Ahmed. President of Fishing Boats Owners Association.
Red lanterns and flags were hoisted atop roofs and trees. Red Crescent volunteers with megaphones and officials were warning of the impeding dangers when the cyclone was pinpointed to lash the south-eastern coast late yesterday afternoon.
The Radio and TV also broadcast warnings advising hoisting of danger signal number 10 at Chittagong and Mongla ports, warning the ships, boats and fishing trawlers to move to safety. People were also urged to offer special prayers In mosques, temples, churches ana pagodas seeking divine blessings against the fury of nature.
Reports from the coastal districts said dark clouds bursting early yesterday continued throughout the day. They were reinforced by strong winds with the rapid advance of the storm. Low-lying areas in the coastal belt were inundated.
In the city, heavy clouds continued to gather from the southwest corner from the afternoon, rain was steady and increased late in tire evening with the approaching storm. The rainfall totalled 20mm till 9 pm.
The weekend turned sour for many, shopkeepers had little business, so did the rickshaw peddlers as foul weather kept people indoor.
The storm brewed off a seasonal depression, first located off India's Tamil Nadu coast last week in the Bay. But the cloud pack burst over Andhra State of India. Its tail spinned-off the freak but deadly storm that turned its course, baffling Meteorologists in India and surprising Bangladeshis.
Director of the Meteorological Department Sajedur Rahman told The Daily Star last night that it was unusual at this time of the waning Monsoon that the storm should be racing towards Bangladesh coast instead of roaring towards Indian coast where it was located first.
Though freak in nature, it was not the first time that such thing happened he added, as he scanned the Radar at his office, showing advance of the storm.
First it was feared yesterday morning at 9 am that it may hit the south-western coast. But it remained steady on a northnorth-easterly course, reaching the fringe of the funnel shaped Meghna estuary at 9 pm yesterday.
There was little chance that it may veer off-course, meteorologists tracking it said at mid-night when it kept, going towards its target of Noakhali-Chittagong coast, north of Chit-
tagong at 12-30 last night.
At 6 pm on Thursday, the storm was located at Orissa coast and veered towards Bangladesh rapidly, in 24 hours It travelled to the north Bay. eyeing the coasts of Chittagong-Cox' Bazar at 6 pin.
As it began approaching the south-eastern coast. It triggered heavy winds and rains that flooded the low-lying areas of Barisal. Patuakhali. Bhola. Barguna. Pirojpur and Jha-lakati. Reports from Khulna said intermittent rain and gusty win^.s also blew over the coastal districts in the region and flooding the low lands.
Our Staff Correspondent adds from Chittagong: Sources In the local administration said thousands of coastal people in the coastal areas have already taken shelter at the cyclone shelters and other safer places.
In Chittagong port, cargo handling has been suspended since 2 pm yesterday and some of the ships anchored at the port channel were shifted to outer anchorage for safety, official sources said.
Three control rooms have been opened at Chittagong port to tackle the situation while the district administration and the City Corporation also opened control rooms.
All aircraft from Chittagong airport were taken to Dhaka and other logistics were shifted to Chittagong cantonment.
Navy ships also were taken outside the port area for safety.
The cyclone was supposed to hit Chittagong coast by midnight last night but according to Met Officials, the indications changed.
The gusty wind began sweeping Chittagong from 7 pm yesterday.
Chittagong experienced rainfall from morning that paralysed normal life.
Our Staff Correspondent Aroop Talukdar reports from Barisal: Low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Barisal, Patuakhali. Bhola. Barguna. Jhalakati and Pirojpur went under at least three feet water due to heavy rainfall during the whole day yesterday.
The inclement weather also affected movement of water transports from the divisional headquarters. Dhaka-bound Kassenger launches could not :ave Barisal launch ghat on the day.
Many of ttje rivers flowing through the division swelled by at least three feet, but in some of those the water level almost reached the danger level. Tidal wave rose up to 10-12 feet in Kuakata area under Patuakhali district.
Local Met office sources said, 79.60mm rainfall was recorded from 6 am to 6 pm yesterday. Wind speed during the day was recorded at 18 to 20 km per hour.
A total of five to six hundred trawlers have taken shelter at Alipur-Mohipur channel about six km Inland from Kuakata beach. Water level at Kuakata rose up to the embankment. The Bangabandhu Primary School near Kuakata collapsed after it was hit by the gusty wind in'the afternoon.
The offshore islands of Bhola district have gone under two feet water.
Representatives of the district administration and Red Crescent volunteers made announcements over microphone during the day, urging people to go to cyclone shelters.
Our Khulna Correspondent reports: Low-lying areas of the district have been inundated by at least six feet water following yesterday's downpour.
A cyclonic storm is blowing over the district at a speed between 50 to 55 km. said Met office sources. During the day, 25mm rainfall was recorded.
Cargo handling at Mongla port remained suspended since 8:00 am yesterday and fishing boats, trawlers and sea-going vessels were taken to safer places by the port authorities.
Officials of the district administration said that residents of the Sunderbans and its Soining areas were taken to er places. Control rooms have been established in all the nine thanas of the district and relief goods and emergency food items have also been kept ready, administration sources said.