Over 17 lakh people evacuated as cyclone approaches

More than 17 lakh people have been taken to cyclone shelters in 14 coastal districts owing to the approaching Cyclone ‘Bulbul’ which is likely to make landfall in the Sundarbans this midnight.

“A total of 17,36,174 people have been evacuated from their homes and taken to 5,551 cyclone shelters in 14 coastal districts due to the cyclone,” State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Md Enamur Rahman told The Daily Star. 

Additionally, many people are also on the way to take shelter at cyclone centres in the areas, Enamur Rahman added.

The photo is taken from a cyclone shelter of Dumuria Government Primary School in Symnagar upazila of Satkhira on Saturday, November 9, 2019. Photo: Kalyan Banerjee/Star

BSS adds: The government has taken all-out preparations to tackle the imminent severe cyclone ‘Bulbul’ which would move in a North or Northeasterly direction and may cross West Bengal-Khulna coast near the Sundarbans by this midnight.

“The government has full preparation to face the severe cyclone. Leaves of all the government officials and employees at upazila level have been cancelled aiming to face the cyclonic storm,” Enamur Rahman said while briefing journalists after holding an Inter-Ministerial Disaster Management Coordination Committee meeting at his ministry office in the capital.

Announcements are being made through loudspeakers urging people to move from risky areas and take shelter in Pirojpur. Photo: Habibur Rahman/Star

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Disaster Management the Relief Chairman Tajul Islam, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, Disaster Management and Relief Ministry’s Senior Secretary Md Shah Kamal and other officials concerned attended the meeting.

State Minister Enam said awareness campaigns have been intensified at the coastal upazilas to avert unwanted loss of lives and properties while a total 14,000 packets of dry food, Tk 70 lakh and 1,400 metric tonnes of rice have been allocated for seven coastal districts -- Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola and Pirojpur.

A total of Tk 30 lakh and 600 metric tonnes of rice, however, have been allocated for six districts -- Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar -- Tk 500,000 and 100 metric tonnes of rice for each districts, he added.

Dr Enam said a total of 55,515 volunteers are disseminating early warning message of the cyclone ‘Bulbul’ at 3,684 units of 350 unions under 41 upazilas of seven zones under the 13 districts.

All concerned ministries and divisions have been asked to take necessary measures to save the lives and properties of the people from the adverse impact of the cyclone.

Besides, the Shipping Ministry has opened a temporary control room at the ministry’s 801 (ka) no. room and canceled the weekend leave of all officials under the ministry on Saturday and Sunday.

The phone number of the control room is 02-9546072; Joint Secretary of the ministry Manoj Kanti Baral will supervise the control room.

Apart from this, different ministries, division and offices have also launched control rooms to exchange emergency information about the cyclone ‘Bulbul’ and take necessary measures to tackle the imminent storm, said an official release here today.

The phone numbers of the Bangladesh Coast Guard control room are – 01766-

690621 for Barishal division, 01766-690383 for Khulna division, 01766-690153

for Chattogram division and another additional phone number is 01766-690033.

The phone number of the Water Resources Ministry control room is 01318-234560 while number of the Water Development Board’s central control room is 01552-353433.

Mobile number of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) control room is 01958-658213 while latest information about the cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’ can be known by dialing the number 1090.

The mobile number of Cox’s Bazar district control room, launched for helping the stranded visitors in the Saint Martin’s Island is 01715-560688. The stranded people have also been requested to communicate by dialing the mobile number – 01851-966966 of Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO).

Besides, latest information about the cyclone ‘Bulbul’ can be known by making a call to the telephone numbers of Press Information Department’s (PID’s) newsroom – 02-9512246 and 02-9514988.