Cyclone Asani: 287 Satkhira shelters ready, with embankment vulnerable in 25 places
Adequate dry food, drinking water, and water purification tablets, ready
In preparation for cyclone Ashani, 287 shelters have been set up in the coastal district of Satkhira, and up to 1,60,000 people are expected to be accommodated there.
After an emergency meeting of the district disaster management committee at the deputy commissioner's office on Monday, Committee Chairman and Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Humayun Kabir said all kinds of preparations have been made to deal with possible damage from the cyclone.
He said 181 shelters in Shyamnagar upazila, and 108 shelters in Assasuni upazila, have been readied. The shelters can accommodate 1,10,000 and 50,000 people, respectively.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Adequate dry food, drinking water, and water purification tablets are also ready. There are 2,960 volunteers on alert in coastal Shyamnagar and Assasuni upazilas, beside 86 medical teams, he added.
Light to moderate rainfall and light gusting winds continue in Satkhira with cyclone Ashani approaching.
Satkhira Meteorological Office (Acting) Zulfiqar Ali Ripon said that a cautionary signal-2 was continuing in the coastal area. The present location of cyclone Ashani is 1,000km southwest of Mongla port and the cyclone might hit the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
However, if the direction changes, it will affect Satkhira in Bangladesh, he added.
Meanwhile, the Water Development Board said 25 points of coastal protection embankment are at risk.
"There is a 426km embankment between Assasuni and Koyra upazila, of which 25 points are at risk. Geo bags have already been placed in the risky areas with all-out preparations underway," said Shamim Hasnain Mahmud, executive engineer of Satkhira Water Development Board-2.
Abul Khair, executive engineer of Satkhira Water Development Board-1, said that 17km of embankment in the coastal area of Shyamnagar was at risk, but all of it has been repaired and presently there is no risky embankment under Water Development Board-1.
"We are ready. If there is any damage due to the storm, that will be repaired soon too," he added.
