Patuakhali, Khulna brace for Cyclone Dana, prep shelters and relief measures

Authorities in Patuakhali and Khulna have geared up to face the approaching Cyclone Dana by preparing cyclone shelters and relief measures for those in vulnerable areas.

Patuakhali district administration prepared 829 cyclone shelters across various upazilas to mitigate the potential impact of Cyclone Dana.

These shelters can accommodate approximately 414,000 people, as revealed during an emergency preparedness meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee held today.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arefin chaired the meeting, which took place in the DC's conference room.

In addition to the shelters, the administration has allocated Tk 13.37 lakh in cash, 800 metric tons of rice, and Tk 5 lakh each for livestock and baby food. The stockpile also includes 1,000 packets of dry food, 50,000 water purification tablets, and 13,000 geo bags for emergency embankment repairs. A total of 8,760 Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) volunteers are ready to assist with rescue and relief operations.

Key officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Yadav Sarkar, Civil Surgeon SM Kabir Hasan, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Suman Debnath, Executive Engineer of the Water Development Board Arif Hossain, and Patuakhali Press Club Acting President Md Sohrab Hossain, attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Khulna district administration prepared 433 cyclone shelters across various upazilas to brace for Cyclone Dana.

"We have instructed the preparation of 433 cyclone shelters in different upazilas to accommodate those at risk. These shelters can hold up to 300,000 people," said Abdul Karim, the district relief officer, while speaking to The Daily Star.

Volunteers have been put on standby to ensure swift action as the storm approaches, he added.

To ensure an efficient response, all officers and staff have been directed to cancel their leave and remain at their posts.

"A meeting will be held later today with relevant departments to finalise the next steps," he said.

Meanwhile, Khulna and its surrounding districts have been experiencing rainfall since this morning, according to Amirul Azad, senior meteorologist at the Khulna Meteorological Office, as Cyclone Dana draws closer.