Cyclone Remal: Eye of the storm may hit the coast by 10pm

Severe Cyclone Remal, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, will hit the Bangladesh coast by 10pm, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

At a press conference at 3:30pm, BMD Director Azizur Rahman said: “We will learn about the full wind speed when the centre of the cyclone crosses the Bangladesh coast after 6pm.”

“The impact of the front section of the storm has been felt since the afternoon and the centre will make landfall in the three to four hours after 6pm. It will then continue until midnight or some time after that.”

The cyclone will not die down once the eye of the storm makes landfall, Azizur said. “Even when its tail hits land, there will still be high wind, rain, gusts and tidal surges.”

“Once it completely makes landfall, it will no longer be able to gain strength. Due to the vegetation, buildings, and infrastructure it cannot gain the necessary energy as its source is cut off. That source is the ocean. It will then gradually weaken and turn into a depression over the land.”

According to a BMD special news bulletin issued at noon on Sunday, severe Cyclone Remal was located 335 km southwest of the Chattogram maritime port, 315 km southwest of the Cox’s Bazar port, 220 km south of the Mongla port and 200 km south of the Payra port.

The rough seas near the storm’s centre have prompted the Bangladesh Meteorological Department to advise Mongla and Payra ports to raise Great Danger Signal No. 10 and the Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar ports to raise Great Danger Signal No. 9.

Wind speeds within 64 km of the storm’s centre have reached 90 kph, rising to 120 kph in gusts or gales.