Satkhira on alert as Cyclone Remal brings heavy rain, destructive winds

Rain with gusty wind started lashing Satikhira as the periphery of Cyclone Remal hit the coast on Sunday evening

Its centre was expected to cross the coast at around 9pm, with the cyclone located 200km southwest of the coastal district as of the filing of the report, said Julfikar Ali with the Satkhira weather office.

“Strong waves are crashing on embankments. Some parts have collapsed and water is entering the surrounding villages. [The cyclone] is coming towards the coast at a speed of 8-10kmph. Wind speed is 90-120kmph within 62km of the cyclone centre, as a result of which there is a risk tidal surge of up to 12 feet along the coast,” the meteorologist said.

Mizanur Rahman, a resident of Satkhira’s Gabura union, said a dyke collapsed and water started entering the locality at around 5pm. 

Embankments had collapsed at several points of Kholpetua and Kopotakkho rivers, Gabura Union Parishad Chairman Masudul Alam said, adding that sandbags were being dumped on those spots. “If there is a flood, the people of my union will suffer a lot. The whole union will go underwater.”

“We have multiple teams working to prevent tidal water from entering the locality… We have enough geobags in stock,” the Bangladesh Water Development Board’s Satkhira office Executive Engineer Md Salauddin said.

Deputy Commissioner Md Humayun Kabir said the district administration had taken all-out preparations to deal with the cyclone. 

As many as 6,000 volunteers were working to bring people to shelters in the coastal areas of Shyamnagar, Asashuni, Kaliganj and Debhata, he added.