Cyclone Giri hits Myanmar
Saturday, 23 October 2010
FE Report
The Cyclone Giri originated in the Bay of Bengal has spared Bangladesh’s coastal district of Cox's Bazaar and struck neighbouring Myanmar.
With winds peaking at 152 kilometers per hour, cyclone Giri struck Myanmar's west Arakan State and is forecast to continue into central Burma until late Saturday, according to newsmagazine, the Irrawaddy.
The cyclone struck land near Kyaukphyu, a large island off Arakan's coast, severing phone links in several parts of the region.
After forming over the Bay of Bengal, Giri developed into a "Category II" cyclone on Friday morning, according to Myanmar Climate Change Watch.
"The periphery of the cyclone hit the Arakan coast this morning, with the eye of the cyclone striking land around 3 p.m Friday," said Tun Lwin of the local weather board.
The cyclone was stronger than forecast on Friday morning, he said, and would likely cross Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay Divisions.
The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center announced earlier that the cyclone is headed in the direction of Mandalay Division and may make landfall with winds of 148 kph.
State-controlled radio and TV broadcast constant warnings advising people to keep away from electricity poles and tall trees and to believe only official reports about the cyclone rather than rumors, said local residents in Yangon.
In 2008 May, when Nargis, a category IV cyclone, hit the Irrawaddy Delta and Yangon, more than 130,000 people were killed and millions of people were left homeless.
Under the influence of the cyclone and full moon phase, the low lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bola and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of height 3-5 feet above normal astronomical tide.
All fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice.
The Cyclone Giri originated in the Bay of Bengal has spared Bangladesh’s coastal district of Cox's Bazaar and struck neighbouring Myanmar.
With winds peaking at 152 kilometers per hour, cyclone Giri struck Myanmar's west Arakan State and is forecast to continue into central Burma until late Saturday, according to newsmagazine, the Irrawaddy.
The cyclone struck land near Kyaukphyu, a large island off Arakan's coast, severing phone links in several parts of the region.
After forming over the Bay of Bengal, Giri developed into a "Category II" cyclone on Friday morning, according to Myanmar Climate Change Watch.
"The periphery of the cyclone hit the Arakan coast this morning, with the eye of the cyclone striking land around 3 p.m Friday," said Tun Lwin of the local weather board.
The cyclone was stronger than forecast on Friday morning, he said, and would likely cross Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay Divisions.
The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center announced earlier that the cyclone is headed in the direction of Mandalay Division and may make landfall with winds of 148 kph.
State-controlled radio and TV broadcast constant warnings advising people to keep away from electricity poles and tall trees and to believe only official reports about the cyclone rather than rumors, said local residents in Yangon.
In 2008 May, when Nargis, a category IV cyclone, hit the Irrawaddy Delta and Yangon, more than 130,000 people were killed and millions of people were left homeless.
Under the influence of the cyclone and full moon phase, the low lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bola and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of height 3-5 feet above normal astronomical tide.
All fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice.