The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has elevated the storm alert to danger signal 7 for Mongla and Payra seaports as Cyclone Sitrang began bearing down on the coast.
The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and their offshore islands also come under danger signal 7, according to bdnews24.com.
The cyclone, named Sitrang by Thailand, is likely to hammer 13 districts in Bangladesh, said Md Enamur Rahman, state minister for disaster management and relief, after an inter-ministry meeting on Monday afternoon.
The districts that will be affected are Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Barishal, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali and Feni.
He said Barguna Sadar, Patharghata and Patuakhali’s Kolapar will be hit hardest, among other districts.
Chattogram and the islands in the Cox’s Bazar area such as Moheshkhali, Hatia and Sandwip are also at risk.
A total of 7,030 shelters have been prepared for the storm and 2.5 million people will be able to take refuge there.
People started moving to the shelters on Monday morning.
The army, navy and coast guard have joined disaster management and relief efforts, the state minister said.
The prime minister has ordered that 100 per cent of the population be moved to shelters to save lives, Rahman added.
Each district has been sent an allocation of Tk 500,000 and dry food for the storm.
Meanwhile, the Chattogram and Cox's Bazar ports have been advised to hoist danger signal 6 as a deep low pressure in the Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclone.
The storm is expected to intensify further before cutting its path through the Barishal-Chattogram coast near Khepura by early Tuesday, the Met Office said in a special bulletin on Monday.
The Bangladesh authorities have suspended river transports from Sadarghat to the southern districts as Cyclone Sitrang moved closer.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has decided to suspend all air travel from the Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram and Barishal airports due to Cyclone Sitrang.
All three airports will be closed until the weather improves, CAAB said in a notice to airmen.
The decision was made after taking the storm conditions into account, said Air Commodore Sadikur Rahman Chowdhury of Civil Aviation. Airports are taking urgent preparations, he said.
Bangladeshi airlines cut the number of domestic flights in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar from Monday morning, but Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is still running according to schedule.
As of Monday afternoon, flights were arriving and departing from the Dhaka airport as usual, said Group Captain Muhammed Kamrul Islam, executive director of the airport.
The situation is being monitored and decisions will be made in coordination with the Met Office, he said.