Cyclone Midhili: Danger signal 7 in Mongla, Residents head towards shelters

The meteorogical department of Bangladesh has issued a danger signal number 7 in Mongla port and its adjacent areas as Cyclone Midhili approached the coast.

Meanwhile, there has been heavy rainfall in the coastal district of Bagerhat since Thursday (16 November) night. The water level in rivers and canals has risen by 1 to 2 feet above normal.

Officials from the Water Development Board are monitoring the risky dam areas in Sharankhola's Gabtoli.

With some of the fishing boats and trawlers in the northern Bay of Bengal, deep sea and along the Sundarbans successfully going into safe shelter, communications with several fishing trawlers have been lost in Bagerhat.

Meanwhile, cargo handling remained halted at Mongla port due to the cyclone.

With the warning signal and incessant rainfall residents of Bagerhat's Sharankhola, Mongla, and Morelganj sub-districts have started heading to the cyclone shelters as the sub-district administrations and volunteers make announcements and urge coastal residents to do so since Friday morning.

Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Md Khalid Hossain said the district has Tk900,000 cash and 650 metric tonnes of rice for emergency aid. Also, 359 cyclone shelters have been prepared.

Deputy Commissioner of Bagerhat Md Khalid Hossain said, coastal residents have been asked to take shelter. The upazila administration and local public representatives have been asked to provide dry food and water at the shelters. Besides, 1,920 Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) members and 500 members of various voluntary organisations including Red Crescent and Bangladesh National Cadet Corps have started working on the coast.

On the other hand, the fishermen are fearing loss as fermented fish on Dublar Char are at risk of being spoilt. Since 1 November, more than 10,000 fishermen are staying in several islands including Dublar Char in Sundarbans to process dry fish.

Dilip Majumdar, officer-in-charge of village patrol outpost in Dublar Char area of Sarankhola range of Sundarban, said as a result of the cyclone, it has been raining in the area adjacent to Dublar Char since Thursday afternoon. At the beginning of the season fishermen will suffer financial loss due to this disaster as dried fish might be spoilt, also they are unable to fish amid this inclement weather.