In a massive evacuation effort, at least 800,000 Bangladeshis fled their coastal villages on Sunday, seeking refuge in concrete storm shelters as Cyclone Remal approaches. The low-lying nation is bracing for crashing waves and howling winds expected to hit the southern coast and parts of neighboring India late Sunday evening.
Cyclone Remal is forecasted to bring gales and gusts of up to 130 kilometers (81 miles) per hour, according to Bangladesh’s weather department. Senior weather official Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik warned that the cyclone could trigger a storm surge up to 12 feet (four meters) above the normal tide, posing a significant danger to coastal areas that are just a meter or two above sea level.
Authorities have raised the danger signal to its highest level, issuing a warning for fishermen to avoid going to sea and ordering evacuations in at-risk areas. “We are terrified,” said 35-year-old fisherman Yusuf Fakir from Kuakata, a town on the southern tip of Bangladesh, which lies directly in the predicted path of the storm. Fakir sent his family inland while he stayed behind to protect their belongings, recalling the devastation of past cyclones.
As residents fled, a ferry carrying more than 50 passengers—double its capacity—sank near Mongla due to rough waters. Local police chief Mushfiqur Rahman Tushar reported that 13 people were injured and taken to the hospital, while other boats rescued the passengers.
Kamrul Hasan, the government’s disaster management secretary, confirmed that the evacuation orders aimed to move people from “unsafe and vulnerable” homes. “At least 800,000 people have been shifted to cyclone shelters in the country’s coastal districts,” Hasan stated. The government has mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to alert residents to the danger, but many remain hesitant to leave their homes for fear of theft.
Approximately 4,000 cyclone shelters have been prepared along Bangladesh’s extensive coastline on the Bay of Bengal. Cyclone Remal is expected to make landfall along a 220-kilometer stretch from India’s Sagar Island to Khepupara in Bangladesh by midnight Sunday.
The country has a tragic history of deadly cyclones, with hundreds of thousands of lives lost in past decades. The frequency of superstorms has increased, with climate change being a significant contributing factor. As Bangladesh braces for yet another powerful cyclone, the emphasis remains on ensuring safety and minimizing loss through timely evacuations and preparedness measures.
