Cyclone Bulbul: Weakens into a depression over southeast Bangladesh

As per the latest update on Cyclone Bulbulfrom Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), The deep depression has weakened into a depression over southeast Bangladesh and adjoining south Tripura at 05. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department had earlier asked local authorities and two ports to raise their highest alert.  Authorities had also suspended a nationwide school test, cancelled the holidays of officials posted in coastal districts. The IMD also predicted that it will weaken into a low during the next six hours.

Light to moderate rainfall is likely to prevail over South Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram during the next 24 hours. Squally wind, speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, will prevail around the system centre & neighbourhood. It will decrease becoming 20-30 kmph gusting to 40 kmph over south-east Bangladesh and adjoining Tripura & Mizoram during next six hours.

The deep depression over coastal Bangladesh and neighbourhood lay centred at 5:30 pm on Sunday about 170 km east-northeast of Sunderban National Park. 

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All activities in the country's seaports suspended

Authorities also suspended all activities in the country's seaports, including in Chattogram Port, which handles almost 80 per cent of Bangladesh's exports and imports. According to US-based AccuWeather Inc, Bulbul strengthened from a deep depression into a tropical cyclone on Thursday morning, and by Friday afternoon had strengthened into a severe cyclone. Bulbul was the equivalent of a Category 1 or 2 hurricane in the Atlantic, it said. Bangladesh's coastal areas are often hit by deadly cyclones, but the country has upgraded its capacity to deal with natural disasters, successfully reducing the number of casualties in recent years. 

The met office on Saturday, November 9, issued its highest "great signal numbers" 10 and 9 for the southwestern and southeastern coastlines, prompting authorities to launch a massive evacuation campaign. The met office on Sunday lowered the number to 3. Disaster ministry secretary Shah Kamal said they initially planned to evacuate 14 lakh people to 5,000 cyclone shelters, however by Saturday midnight, the figure rose to over 21 lakh.

READ: Cyclone Bulbul weakens over the coast of West Bengal

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