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Authorities have halted flight operations at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram and the Cox's Bazar Airport due to Cyclone Remal, reports bdnews24.com.
"We have announced a suspension of flight operations since the morning due to adverse weather caused by Cyclone Remal. A Great Danger Signal has been announced for this area. The flights will be grounded until further notice," Golam Murtaja, manager of Cox's Bazar Airport said at 10:30am on Sunday.
Group Captain Taslim Ahmed, director of the Chattogram Airport, said that flights took off and landed at Chattogram airport in the morning, but authorities then halted flight operations from 12pm to 8pm.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled one flight on the Dhaka-Barishal route, two to Cox’s Bazar, one to Kolkata, two from Dhaka to Chattogram, one from Chattogram to the UAE’s Sharjah and one to Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah due to Cyclone Remal.
A 7:30am flight to Kolkata on Monday was also cancelled, said Boshra Islam, general manager of Biman’s Public Relations wing.
The officer, however, said she could only provide the details about the cancellation of Biman flights to Chattogram after 11 am.
US-Bangla Airlines also cancelled seven flights each at the Chattogram and Cox's Bazar airports, said its Public Relations General Manager Kamrul Islam. The airline tickets also halted two flights to Kolkata.
Private airline Air Astra cancelled three flights to Cox's Bazar and two to Chattogram, said Sakib Shuvo, deputy manager at its Public Relations department.
Novo Air, another private airline, cancelled three flights to Cox's Bazar and one to Kolkata.
Cyclone Remal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
The storm currently lies over the northwest Bay of Bengal and its surrounding areas.
The maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been instructed to raise Great Danger Signal No. 10, while the Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar maritime ports have been advised to hoist Great Danger Signal No. 9.
Meteorologist Omar Faruk confirmed the information to bdnews24.com saying, “Cyclone Remal, formed in the Bay of Bengal, has turned into a severe cyclonic storm. It is likely to make landfall in Bangladesh between this evening and midnight. The maximum wind speed will be 90 to 120 kmph in the cyclonic area.”