Cyclone Komen makes landfall

Cyclonic storm Komen, which crossed Chittagong coast near Sandwip at 6:00am on Friday, became weak, turned into land depression and lay over central part of the country near Faridpur in the evening.Under influence of the cyclonic storm, almost all the districts across the country including the capital Dhaka witnessed cloudy sky, rainfall and gusts throughout the day that affected normal life, Bangladesh Meteorological Department officials in Dhaka said.They said that the situation might continue today.While crossing the coast, the storm with heavy rainfall and slide water surge damaged hundreds of houses, uprooted trees and inundated low laying areas on its way affecting agriculture and fisheries in southeastern part of the country, New Age correspondents reported.Barring a few, tens of thousands of people of the coastal region who took shelters in different cyclone shelters had returned their homes as Komen became weak.Dwellers in different affected areas said on Friday evening that they were still suffering from power cuts.Operations at Chittagong port and airport remained suspended because of violent weather, authorities concerned said.Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation withdrew suspension of movement of the ferries and ships on the inland waterways from Friday morning.Sea remained rough throughout the day.A special bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department in Dhaka at 6:00pm said that the land depression in Faridpur region was likely to move west-northwestwards further inland and weaken gradually by giving precipitation.‘Under its influences steep pressure gradient lies over north bay. Squally weather may affect North Bay, adjoining coastal area of Bangladesh and the maritime ports,’ the bulletin said.The Met Office asked maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to keep hoist local cautionary signal number three.
It advised all fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.New Age correspondents in southwest districts reported that the flood situation in many places deteriorated and remained unchanged at some other places.Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of Bangladesh Water Development Board on Friday morning forecasted that the flood situation in some areas of Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar districts might further deteriorate till this morning.
The Met Office recorded 104 millimetres of rain in Cox’s Bazar as the highest rainfall in the country in 24 hours ending 6:00pm on Friday.It also recorded 94mm rain in Chittagong, 59mm in Dhaka, 40mm in Mymensingh, 93mm in Teknaf, 72mm in Rangamati, 51mm in Feni, 73mm in Pabna, 76mm in Chuadanga and 51mm in Barisal during the same time.
The Met Office forecasted that moderately heavy to very heavy falls might occur at places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions and moderately heavy to heavy falls at places elsewhere over the country.
New Age correspondent in Chittagong reported that about 4,000 people at Pukuria union under Bashkhali remained at Shelter houses because of severe waterlogging in the area.
District relief and rehabilitation officer Abul Bashar told New Age that a total of 475 houses were destroyed totally and 1,630 houses partly at Banshkhali, Anwara and Sandwip by the cyclonic storm.New Age correspondent in Cox’s Bazar reported that flood situation in low laying areas deteriorated due to water surge and heavy rainfall under influence of Komen.
Besides, almost all the hotels, motels and guest houses and restaurants in Saint Martin’s island were badly damaged by Komen that hit the island on Thursday.Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer Saha Mojahed Uddin told New Age that Komen destroyed 200 houses totally and 300 houses partially in the island where 20 fishing boats were also damaged.
New Age correspondent in Noakhali reported that 30 calves of buffaloes died, one kilometre and a half stretch of embankment was washed away and seven villages under Hatiya became waterlogged.One kilometre and a half stretch of the embankment of Nolchira-Sukhchar was washed away because of pressure of heavy rainwater and high tide resulting in flooding at adjacent seven villages.Reports received from Bandarban said that incessant rain had flooded the district town and the road communications were snapped as a bridge at Sualok of the district town collapsed.New Age correspondent in Bhola reported that 26 chars and over 50 villages were flooded with 3 to 4 feet high tidal surge while waterlogging for past few days because of incessant rain had destroyed young plants of mangrove forest and aman seedlings.Villagers in the affected areas feared collapse of their houses because of waterlogging for days together.New Age correspondent in Feni reported that the flood situation remained unchanged and at least 70,000 people in Feni sadar and Dagonbhuian upazilas remained waterlogged for the past seven days.Dwellers reported that skin diseases broke out in the affected areas.

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