Squally wind stops cargo handling at Mongla port

Southern coastal districts including Barisal, Patuakhali, Khulna and Bagerhat experienced downpour and squally winds yesterday under the influence of a depression in the Bay.

Meteorological offices in the district headquarters issued cautionary signals and advised fishermen to move to safety, according to reports by our correspondents.

Cargo handling at Mongla port was suspended from 3 pm yesterday due to inclement weather and did not resume till 8 pm, our Staff Correspondent reported from Khulna.

Cautionary signal number three was hoisted there

Three foreign ships were moved to safety as strong winds started blowing over the part at about 4 pm.

Two of the ships carried imported clinker and exportable jute goods while the other was waiting for loading frozen shrimps, said Member (operation) of Mongla Port Authority Lutfor Rahman.

There has been downpour accompanied by squally winds in Khulna and Bagerhat districts since 4 pm yesterday.

All fishing boats and trawlers were asked to move to safer places and not to venture into the deep sea.

Khulna district administration has opened a control room to monitor the situation, sources said.

In Patuakhali, several hundred fishing trawlers have moved to safety in Kuakata and Pathorghata coasts due to downpour and squally winds in the coasts since Saturday midnight, our correspondent reported yesterday evening.

Fazlu Gazi, president of Mohipur trawler owners association said told hundreds of fishing trawlers went to the deep sea as good catches of Hilsha were available in last few days. They are returning to the coasts, he said.

The weather office hoisted cautionary signal No. 3.

Meteorological offices recorded 96 mm rainfall in Patuakhali and 102 mm rainfall in Kalapara till 3 pm yesterday.

In Barisal, port authorities hoisted cautionary signal no. 2 and stopped plying of small motor launches i2n 28 internal routes from till further notice.

Heavy rains since Saturday night also affected normal life in the divisional city.

The weather office recorded 71 mm rainfall in 9 hours from 6 am to 3 pm yesterday.

Source:The Daily Star