Cyclone Remal: BITWA suspends water transports in coastal areas

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority or BITWA has ordered a suspension on all water transport services, including passenger launches, in the coastal areas over a deep depression that is all set to turn into a cyclone.

The BIWTA issued the order on Saturday evening after the disaster management and relief ministry instructed Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna, Barguna, Patuakhali, and Bhola districts to take special precautions to combat the effects of the possible storm.

The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal may intensify further into a cyclone around midnight, says meteorologist Monowar Hossain. If it turns into a cyclone, it will be named ‘Remal’. The proposed name comes from Oman and means ‘sand’ in Arabic.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has advised four maritime ports of Bangladesh to lower distant cautionary signal No. 1 and hoist local cautionary signal No. 3.

The sea will remain rough near the deep depression centre, according to the Met Office.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay and the deep sea have been advised to take shelter immediately.