4 feet tidal high surge may occur at places of 16 districts

According to a Met office bulletin,  due to a deep depression in the Bay, tidal surges as high as 2-4 feet high may submerge places in 16 different southern districts along the coastlines.

The districts are Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Hatiya, Sandwip, Chandpur, Borguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna and Satkhira.

According to the Met office bulletin on Thursday evening, low-lying areas of the coastal districts and their offshore islands and shoals will likely to be inundated by wind driven surge of 2-4 feet height above normal astronomical tide.

Rain soaked nearly entire Bangladesh today alongside storms at places as a “deep depression” brewed in the bay landed and started crossing Bangladesh’s southwestern Khepupara and Sagar Island of India’s West Bengal since 3 in the afternoon.

 Weather experts said the coincidence of new moon and the depression intensified the depressions impact which in particular submerged the world’s largest mangrove forest of the Sundarbans along the Bay of Bengal in the morning.

“The deep depression started crossing Bangladesh coastlines at around 3.30 pm . . . we could witness tidal surges as high as 4 feet high at places in 14 different southern districts along the coastlines,” a meteorologist said.

His comments came hours after a met office statement said maximum sustained wind speed within 48 km of the “deep depression center” was “about 50 kph rising to 60 kph in gusts or squalls”.

Residents and witnesses said the depression brought with it heavy rains and storms at many areas forcing people to stay indoors in coastlines and central districts as well while the heavy clouds covered the skylines shortening the daylight period.
Four sea ports- Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local warning signal no. 3.  

The met office asked all fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay to remain in shelter till further notice.