Chittagong Port activities halted as Cyclone Mora approaches Bangladesh coast

Chittagong port authorities have stopped container handling as Cyclonic storm ‘Mora’ is now within short distance of Bangladesh coast, prompting the Met office to advise danger signal No. 7.

Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Omar Faruk told media, "Container handling at outer anchorage and jetty has been stopped since 10:30 am."

The leave of all government and semi-government officials had been suspended until further notice.

The cyclonic storm moved  slightly north-northeastwards over east-central Bay and adjoining north Bay and was centered about 530kms south-southwest of Chittagong port, 445kms south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 580kms south-southeast of Mongla port and 510kms south-southeast  of Payra port at 9:00am today, according to a special bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

It is likely to intensify further and move in a northerly direction and may cross Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar coast by Tuesday morning.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the north-bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice, according to the Met office.

Coastal districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number seven, the bulletin said.

Under the influence of the Cyclonic storm “Mora” 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 4-5 feet height.

Source: dailysun