Special weather bulletin:sL.No.24 (TWENTY four),Date: 15-05-2013

THE CYCLONIC STORM “MAHASEN” (WITH ECP 996 HPA) OVER WEST CENTRAL BAY AND ADJOINING EAST CENTRAL BAY MOVED SLIGHTLY NORTH-NORTHEASTWARDS AND WAS CENTRED AT 09 AM TODAY (THE 15 MAY 2013) ABOUT 875 KMS SOUTHWEST OF CHITTAGONG PORT, 815 KMS SOUTHWEST OF COX’S BAZAR PORT AND 760 KMS SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF MONGLA PORT (NEAR LAT 16.0⁰ N AND LONG 87.0⁰ E). IT IS LIKELY TO INTENSIFY FURTHER AND MOVE IN A NORTH- NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AND MAY CROSS KHEPUPARA-TEKNAF COAST NEAR CHITTAGONG BY EARLY MORNING TOMORROW (16^TH MAY 2013) BUT ITS PERIPHERIAL GUSTY/SQUALLY WIND MAY AFFECT COASTAL REGIONS OF BANGLADESH FROM 10 PM TODAY (15^TH MAY 2013).

MAXIMUM SUSTaINED WIND SPEED WITHIN 54 KMS OF THE STORM CENTRE IS ABOUT 62 KPH RISING TO 88 KPH IN GUSTS/ SQUALLS. SEA WILL REMAIN VERY ROUGH NEAR THE STORM CENTRE.

MARITIME PORTS OF CHITTAGONG AND COX’S BAZAR HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO LOWER LOCAL WARNING SIGNAL NUMBER FOUR BUT INSTEAD HOIST DANGER SIGNAL NUMBER SEVEN (R) SEVEN.

THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF COX’S BAZAR, CHITTAGONG, NOAKHALI, LAXMIPUR, FENI, CHANDPUR, BHOLA, BORGUNA, PATUAKHALI, BARISAL AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS WILL COME UNDER DANGER SIGNAL NUMBER SEVEN (R) SEVEN.

MARITIME PORT OF MONGLA HAS BEEN ADVISED TO LOWER LOCAL WARNING SIGNAL NUMBER FOUR BUT INSTEAD HOIST DANGER SIGNAL NUMBER FIVE (R) FIVE.

THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF PIROZPUR, JHALOKATHI, BAGHERHAT, KHULNA, SATKHIRA AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS WILL COME UNDER DANGER SIGNAL NUMBER FIVE (R) FIVE.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE STORM THE LOW-LYING AREAS OF THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF  COX’S BAZAR, CHITTAGONG, NOAKHALI, LAXMIPUR,  FENI, CHANDPUR, BORGUNA, BHOLA, PATUAKHALI, BARISAL,  PIROZPUR, JHALOKATHI, BAGHERHAT, KHULNA, SATKHIRA AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS ARE LIKELY TO BE INUNDATED BY STORM SURGE OF 5-7 FEET HEIGHT ABOVE NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL TIDE.

THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF  COX’S BAZAR, CHITTAGONG, NOAKHALI, LAXMIPUR,  FENI, CHANDPUR, BORGUNA, PATUAKHALI, BARISAL, BHOLA,  PIROZPUR, AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE WIND SPEED UP TO 80-90 KPH IN GUSTS/ SQUALLS WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE STORM.

THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF JHALOKATHI, BAGERHAT, KHULNA, SATKHIRA AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE WIND SPEED UP TO 70-80 KPH IN GUSTS/ SQUALLS WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE STORM.  

ALL FISHING BOATS, TRAWLERS AND MARINE VESSELS OVER NORTH BAY HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO REMAIN IN SHELTER TILL FURTHER NOTICE.