The Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Sunday morning issued great danger signal number 10 for two of its maritime ports—Payra and Mongla as severe cyclonic storm Remal churned towards  Bangladesh and West Bengal coasts moving northward amid forecasts of making landfall Sunday afternoon.

The BMD also advised the maritime ports of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar to hoist great danger signal number 9.

In a special Bulletin at 9:00am on Sunday, the met office also says that the Severe Cyclonic storm Remal now lies over Northwest Bay and adjoining area.

Meanwhile, millions of people are in the path of cyclonic storm Remal, the first storm brewed in the Bay of Bengal this year, amid forecasts of making landfall with winds gusting to 135 kilometre per hour.

The biggest threat from the storm, however, is the likelihood of it causing flooding since while dragging along the ocean water, the cyclone is forecast to drop copious amounts of rain through May 29.

The storm is likely to cross Bangladesh and West Bengal between Khepupara and Sagar Island, the BMD said, with heavy rain and wind.

The cyclone was centred at 6:00am on Sunday about 400 kms southwest of Chattogram port, 360 kms southwest of Cox’s bazar port, 330 kms south of Mongla port and 295 kms south of Payra port, said a bulletin issued at 9:00 am on Sunday signed by Kh Hafizur Rahman, a meteorologist at BMD.

It is likely to move in a northern direction and may cross Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara coast near Mongla by this evening.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 64 km of the severe cyclone centre is about 90 kph rising to 120 kph in gusts or squalls, sea will remain high near the severe cyclone centre.

The coastal districts of Khulna, Satkhira, Bagherhat, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Barguna, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali and their islands and chars will come under Great Danger Signal ten (r) ten, according to the bulletin.

The coastal districts of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Cumilla, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur and their islands and chars will come under Great danger Signal nine (r) nine.

Under the peripheral effect of the severe cyclone and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Khulna, Satkhira, Bagherhat, Pirojpur Jhalakathi, Barguna, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Cumilla, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and their islands and chars are likely to be inundated by wind driven surge of 08-12 feet height above normal, astronomical tide, it reads.

Under the influence of the cyclone Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions are likely to experience heavy (44-88 mm) to very heavy rainfall (289 mm) with gusty or squally wind. Due to very heavy rainfall, landslide may occur at places in Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Chattogram.

All fishing boats and trawlers in north Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.

‘The main body of the storm might start moving onto land from Sunday afternoon,’ meteorologist Abdur Rahman Khan had said at a press conference Saturday evening, adding that the storm’s centre might move onto land around late afternoon.

‘The storm is likely to lose its strength while making its way through the Sundarbans,’ he added, saying that the speed of wind when the storm hit might be 88kmph.

The India Meteorological Department predicted that the storm might hit with wind gusting to 135kmph.

Remal means sand in Arabic.