Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal 3 instead of distant warning signal-2 advised earlier as the Cyclone storm 'Dana' over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining area moved west-northwestwards and lies over the same area.

At 12:00pm today, the cyclone was located around 665 km west-southwest of Chattogram port, 600 km west-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 640 km south-southwest of Mongla port and 595 km south-southwest of Payra port, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department's (BMD) latest special weather bulletin.

It is likely to move in a west-northwesterly direction and intensify further.

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

Maximum sustained wind speed will be within 54 km of the cyclone centre, at about 62 kmph, rising to 88 kmph in gusts-squalls.

The sea will remain very rough near the cyclone centre, the BMD said.

All fishing boats and trawlers in the north Bay and deep sea have been also advised to take shelter immediately, added the bulletin.

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Deep depression intensifies into cyclonic storm: IMD

Earlier, BMD Assistant Meteorologist Kazi Zebunnesa told The Daily Star that the storm is expected to move west-northwest towards India's Odisha and West Bengal, with the possibility of further strengthening.

While Cyclone Dana is forecast to make landfall between Thursday afternoon and early Friday morning, its outer edges could impact the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh, Zebunnesa added.

There is also a chance that the storm could escalate into a severe cyclone before reaching land.