The cyclonic storm, closing in on the land from the Bay of Bengal, could cross Khepupara coast by dawn by packing wind speeds of up to 105 to110 kilometres per hour (kph) at the highest, a latest Met forecast said.
However, the meteorologists in Dhaka didn't foresee any possibility of the Sitrang-named in Thailand across the bay-further intensifying into a 'super cyclone'.
Under the lashing of the seawater by the tropical storm tidal surges of up to 5-8 feet above normal astronomical tide may flood coastal areas, say Met warnings, as heavy rain already inundated some coastal areas and swamped most parts of the country.
It has been raining in the capital, Dhaka, all day long on Monday since Sunday midnight after a deep depression formed over the bay turned into a cyclone that evening.
The government has readied rescue operations by coastguards and navy in apprehension of the calamity, while a PM Office monitoring cell has kept round-the-clock vigil on the cyclone.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is personally supervising the cyclone-preparedness, ordering all-out action to tackle the situation," media reports said.
Meanwhile, flight operations to and from Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and Barishal airports have been suspended due to the inclement weather.
The flight operations to and from the airports were suspended at 3 pm on Monday and will remain shut until 12 noon on Tuesday, Mohammad Sohel Quamruzzaman, public relations officer of Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority said. The decision to resume the flight operations will be taken after observing the overall situation.
Reports from Chattogram add: The Chittagong Port Authority on Monday suspended loading and unloading of containers fearing possible damages due to the approaching cyclone.
"All the ships of New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) have been sent to the outer anchorage. Besides, lighter vessels have also been removed from the channel and shifted to Shah Amanat Bridge area. Loading and unloading of goods and containers are currently suspended, while large ships have been sent to the deep sea," said Md Omar Faruq, Secretary of CPA.
A report from Cox's Bazar adds: Thirteen trawlers sank in the Bay of Bengal off Saint Martin's island in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar, as the sea is very rough due to the inclement weather.
Mojibur Rahman, chairman of Saint Martin's union, said 13 trawlers sank in the bay around 11 am on Monday and the whereabouts of seven trawlers are yet to be traced.
However, it is not clear how many people went missing due to the incident, although a number of people managed to swim ashore, said Mojibur.
The frontal part of the cyclone Sitrang was passing the coastal areas of the country at 6 pm on Monday and the central part of it might cross the coast by early morning Tuesday, Monowar Hossain, a meteorologist at Bangladesh Meteorological Department, told the FE.
In the meantime, Dhaka recorded 120 mm rainfall from 6 am to 6pm on the day while the highest 231 mm rainfall was reported in Barishal, according to the met office.
Continuous heavy rain caused by cyclonic Sitrang in the capital and elsewhere across the country paralysed normal life creating traffic chaos and bringing misery for the city dwellers.
The rain has also inundated some areas of the capital and created a shortage of public transports and made it extremely difficult for city dwellers to commute.
A large part of the coastal region remained without electricity because of incessant rain from Sunday night.
State minister for disaster management and relief Md Enamur Rahman said the cyclone may hit 13 low-lying districts - Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar - in the coastal region.
A total of 7,030 shelters have been prepared for the storm and 2.5 million people will be able to take refuge there.
Many people in the coastal areas started moving to the cyclone shelters on Monday while the army, navy and coast guard have taken part in disaster management and relief efforts.
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) in a statement said hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by Cyclone Sitrang in the coastal areas of the country.
Meanwhile, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) in its bulletin on Monday said that under the peripheral effect of the cyclone, new moon phase and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind driven surge height of 05-08 feet above normal astronomical tide. This effect may be more dominant in the coastal districts of Barisal & Chattogram division.
This effect may be more dominant in the coastal districts of Barisal & Chattogram division, as per the bulletin said.
Under the influence of the storm, the Muhuri, Gomti in the eastern region and the Khowai, Manu, Surma and Kashiyama rivers of the north-eastern region of the country may rise rapidly causing flash floods at times during this period, it forecast.
Under the influence of the storm, there is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coastal region including south-eastern, eastern & north-eastern regions of the country in next 48 hours, it said.
There is also a chance of flash flood at a few places of south-eastern hilly basin of the country during this period, it added.
As the cyclonic storm Sitrang neared on Monday, millions of farmers in 13 districts in the country's Chattogram and Barishal coastal regions have been affected who cultivated Aman paddy, vegetables and other crops.
Livestock and fisheries farmers also are at high risk of possible tides while many low-lying areas are already under waist-deep water amid heavy rain.
Officials at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Barisal Division told the FE that a total of 0.694 million hectares of land have come under Aman farming this year of which 8.0-10 per cent are in their flowing stage which could be severely affected by heavy wind.
Patuakhali DAE official Md Khairul said a total of 0.189 million hectares of land have come under Aman farming this year. The heavy wind that started on Monday noon might cause damage to plants which are now at their flowering stage. He said paddy plants on nearly 20,000 hectares are now at the flowering stage.
Some 1300 hectares of vegetable lands, especially the tiny veggie plants for winter, might also be affected by wind and rain which might continue for the next two to three days.
Deputy Director of DAE Barishal, Harun-ur-Rashid, said 10-12 per cent of the paddy plants out of 0.125 million hectares could be affected by heavy wind and rain.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
sajibur@gmail.com
nazim07@yahoo.com