Hundreds of thousands evacuated as cyclone 'Bulbul' hits Bangladesh

A strong cyclone me landfall early Sunday in Banglesh, where hundreds of thousands of people have moved to shelters across low-lying delta nation's vast coastal region. Up to 1.8 million were expected to be evacuated by Saturday evening ahe of Cyclone Bulbul, said Enamur Rahman, Banglesh's junior disaster manment minister.

More than 5,000 shelters h been prepared by Saturday morning. cyclone was packing winds of up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 130 kph (80 mph) but was forecast to weaken after crossing coast. It slammed ashore near Sagar Island and its path included southwestern Khulna region, which has world's largest mangrove forest, Sundarbans, which strdles Banglesh-India border.

RE: Cyclone Bulbul Makes Landfall At Sagar Island Near Kolkata

wear office said coastal districts were likely to be inundated by storm surges of 1-2 meters (5-7 feet) above rmal tide because of impact of cyclone. Several ships from Banglesh's navy and coast guard were kept rey in parts of region for an emergency response, TV station Independent reported.

storm is also expected to impact parts of rastern India, where precautions were also being taken. According to US-based AccuWear Inc., Bulbul strengned from a deep depression into a tropical cyclone on Thursday morning, and by Friday afteron h strengned into a severe cyclone.

Bulbul was equivalent of a Category 1 or 2 hurricane in Atlantic, it said. Rahman said government suspended weekend leave for government officials in 13 coastal districts on Saturday. On Saturday, volunteers used loudspeakers to ask people to move to shelters in Chittagong and or regions, according to Disaster Manment Ministry. In Cox's Bazar coastal district, tourists were alerted to stay in ir hotels, while a few hundred visitors were stuck on Saint Martins Island.

Authorities suspended all activities in country's main seaports, including in Chittagong, which handles almost 80 per cent of Banglesh's exports and imports. All vessels and fishing boats were told to stop operating.

Local authorities ordered school buildings and mosques to be used as shelters in dition to dedicated cyclone shelters -- raised concrete buildings that have been built over past deces. Banglesh, a nation of 160 million people, has a history of violent cyclones. But disaster preparedness programs in recent deces have upgred country's capacity to deal with natural disasters, resulting in fewer casualties. 

RE: Cyclone Bulbul: Heavy Rain, Thunderstorm Lash West Bengal; 1 De