Very severe cyclone Fani will lose its wind speed by around a half on the way to Bangladesh from India, the country's meteorological chief says.
The cyclone hit India's state of Odisha with a wind speed of 200kph, but it will come down to 80-100kph, Shamsuddin Ahmed, director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, on Friday morning.
He said the storm will bear down on coasts of Bangladesh in the evening and its effects will linger for two days, including rains.
Fani is likely to cross India's Odisha into West Bengal before hitting Khulna and southwestern part of Bangladesh.
Danger signal number for Mongla and Payra ports has been set at 7.
When the cyclone hits Bangladesh, its wind speed will be 80 to 100kph and so the current danger signal for the two ports will not be raised for now, said Shamsuddin.
Meanwhile, Fani triggered rains in many districts of the country, including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Narshingdi, Patuakhali and Barguna.
The rains in the capital lasted for 20 minutes starting at 9:35am and ending at 9:55am. Again, it started raining around 11:00am, only to stop some 15 minutes later.
A weather expert, Ashraf Uddin said, "Rains coupled with gusty winds will continue at various places across the country under the influence of Fani all over the day.''
The storm was centred 605 km southwest of Mongla port and 635 km southwest of Payra port at 6:00am, according to a Met office bulletin on Friday.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 74 kms of the storm centre is about 180 kph rising to 200 kph in gusts/squalls. Sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre.
Coastal districts of Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakati, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal no 7.
The maritime port of Chattogram has been advised to keep hoisted danger signal no 6.
This danger signal is also effective for the coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal no six.
Meanwhile, the maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been advised to keep hoisted local warning signal no 4.
During the cyclone, Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Bhola,Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur,
Jhalakati, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands are likely to be inundated by a 4-5 feet high storm surge above the normal astronomical tide.
The coastal districts and their offshore islands and char areas are likely to experience wind speed up to 90-110 kmp in gusts/squalls with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the storm.
All the fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.
The government has taken up all the necessary preparations to cushion the blow of the storm, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman on Thursday.
All concerned have been directed to operate control rooms round the clock, evacuate people and take them to shelter centres immediately after issuance of ‘very danger’ signal (signal no 8), he said.
Meanwhile, 4,071 cyclone centres in 19 coastal districts have been kept ready where solar system is available, he said.
The state minister added that two thousand packets of dry food, 200 tonnes of rice and cash amounting to Tk 0.5 million have been sent to the coastal districts.
Bangladesh's National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRRC) is providing updates, with opening control rooms in Cyclone Preparedness Programme(CPP) headquarters and 19 coastal districts.
