350 tourists stranded at Saint Martin\\\'s

About 350 tourists are stranded on the Saint Martin’s Island in Bangladesh after the sea level rose by 4 feet with tropical cyclone ‘Hudhud’, moving across the Bay of Bengal. The picturesque coral island of sandy beaches is popular with both local and foreign tourists. However, the only way to reach it is by sea. Bangladesh’s southern and south-eastern regions are experiencing rain and gusty wind with ‘Hudhud’ moving across the Bay. Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shah Mojaheed Uddin said around 3,000 tourists visit the island daily on an average during this season. Many prefer to spend the night on the island. No ship went to the island on Saturday due to the turbulent sea and around 350 tourists were stranded, said Saint Martin’s Union Parishad Chairman Nurul Amin. He said the visitors had been advised to ‘stay safe’ until the situation improved and that they would be sent to Teknaf once the weather got better, according to a news agency.