Dhaka: 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 causing tidal surges in 14 districts, the met office said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, weather experts noted that the coincidence of the new moon and the depression intensified its impact, particularly submerging the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, along the Bay of Bengal in the morning. A meteorologist stated that the deep depression began crossing the Bangladesh coastlines around 3.30 pm, leading to tidal surges as high as four feet in 14 different southern districts along the coastlines.
The meteorologist’s comments followed a met office statement earlier in the day, indicating that the 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 reported that the depression brought heavy rains and storms to many areas, forcing people to stay indoors in both coastal and central districts as heavy clouds covered the skylines, shortening the daylight period.
Officials and local journalists observed that the waters inflated up to 80 centimeters, submerging most of the Sundarbans due to the weather phenomenon during the midday, though the waters began to recede in the afternoon with the routine low tide. While no immediate information could be gathered regarding any harm to wildlife in the forest, a forest official confirmed that the Karamjal Wild Life Reproduction Centre remained unaffected.
Weather experts reiterated that the deep depression’s impact was intensified by the new moon. Reports indicated that coastal regions experienced a 47 mm downpour between 3 pm yesterday and 3 pm today due to the deep depression. Despite relatively heavier rainfalls earlier, the met office reported that the country largely witnessed drizzles until evening today.
Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra were earlier advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal no 3, meant for the surrounding neighborhoods. The met office warned that due to the deep depression’s fallout and the new moon phase, low-lying areas of coastal regions, including Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, and others, were likely to be inundated by a wind-driven surge of two to four feet above the normal astronomical tide.
Additionally, the met office asked all fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay to remain in shelter until further notice, which had not been issued until the evening today.