Bangladesh relocates millions as cyclone Roanu approaches
20
May, 2016
DHAKA
(Reuters) - Bangladesh is relocating around 2 million people from its
coastal areas ahead of cyclone Roanu's likely landfall on Saturday
evening, officials said on Friday, an event that has also kept
authorities in neighboring India and Myanmar on edge.
The
cyclonic storm brought about heavy rains this week in Sri Lanka,
triggering two landslides that were feared to have killed around 150
people and forced more than 223,000 persons from their homes.
"Low-lying
areas of (Bangladesh's) coastal districts ... are likely to be
inundated by storm surge of 4-5 feet height above normal astronomical
tide," its weather office said on its website. (bit.ly/1TrZhmy)
India
Meteorological Department said on Friday evening the storm was likely
to move along the country's east coast and intensify into a "severe"
cyclone in the next 24 hours, before crossing the south Bangladesh
coast on May 21 as a cyclonic storm with lesser intensity.
(bit.ly/25dJFvQ)
Bangladesh's
disaster ministry secretary Mohammad Shah Kamal told reporters the
country had already taken "all sorts of steps" to minimize
any losses, including moving people away from the eye of the storm.
India's Andhra Pradesh state has also moved some people from
low-lying areas.
Bangladesh,
a poor South Asian country, has been one of the worst victims of
nature's fury in recent years. More than 3,000 people were killed by
Cyclone Sidr in 2007 and around 200 lives were lost to Cycline Aila
in 2009.
Deadly Cyclone Roanu to incite major flooding, landslides in northeastern India and Bangladesh
21 May, 2016
Deadly
Cyclone Roanu will bring a major flood risk to northeastern India and
Bangladesh as it slams onshore during the first half of the weekend.
The
first tropical cyclone of the season in the Bay of Bengal will make
landfall in Bangladesh, near or just north of Chittagong, on
Saturday.
The
cyclone will continue to graze India's northern Odisha and West
Bengal coasts into Friday night. Rain will generally total 50-100 mm
(2-4 inches) with locally higher amounts, triggering some incidents
of flooding.
As
the cyclonic storm traverses the Bay of Bengal from the Indian coast
to Bangladesh, it is expected to gain strength and become a Severe
Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained winds of 90-115 km/h (55-70
mph).
The
south-central coast of Bangladesh is at risk for flooding storm surge
and wind gusts of 95-125 km/h (60-80 mph) as Roanu moves onshore.
Power outages, tree damage and structural damage may result.
"The
major threat from Roanu will continue to be flooding,"
AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.
This
threat will expand well beyond the point of landfall, encompassing
southern Bangladesh, northeastern India and western and northern
Myanmar.
In
northeastern India, this includes Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland
and eastern parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Widespread
rainfall totals of 150-300 mm (6-12 inches) are expected this
weekend, raising significant concerns for life-threatening flooding
and landslides.
"There
will be localized amounts in excess of 300 mm (12 inches),"
Richards said.
That
is especially true in the higher terrain.
Residents
living in areas prone to flooding or landslides should prepare to
evacuate or seek other shelter. Some communities could be cut off by
damaged or flood-ravaged roads and bridges.
Roanu
caused deadly flooding and mudslides in Sri Lanka earlier
this week. The Associated
Pressreports
that more than 60 people were killed. Lightning, landslides and
falling trees are all causes for death since Monday. Hundreds are
missing after mudslides devastated three villages in the central
district of Kegalle.
A
Sri Lankan man uses an inflatable tube to move through a
flood-affected area in Wellampitiya, outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka,
Friday, May 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
While
the rain spread from Sri Lanka then up the eastern coast of India,
intense heat worsened across western India as the circulation around
Roanu pulled in dry and warmer air. On Thursday, Phalodi in Rajasthan
set the all-time record high for India when temperatures soared to 51
C (123.8 F).
The
extreme heat will ease for this weekend, but hot conditions will
continue to put a strain on residents throughout western and northern
India well into next week.
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