The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into Cyclone Rimal by Saturday (May 25) evening. Its core may start passing through India’s Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh’s Patuakhali on Sunday (May 26) evening. 70 percent of the cyclone may hit Bangladesh and 30 percent of India. However, the front of the cyclone may start crossing the coast from Sunday afternoon, said the director of the Meteorological Department. Azizur Rahman.

He said this to the media at the end of the cyclone preparedness meeting at the Secretariat on Saturday (May 25).

Azizur Rahman said, “Tomorrow (Sunday) after 6 pm, the cyclone may start crossing the coast of Bangladesh. It may complete crossing the coast by 12 pm tomorrow. The tip of the cyclone may touch the coast from Sunday afternoon.

The cyclone is likely to make landfall mainly between India’s Sagar Island and Patuakhali’s Khepupara in Bangladesh. 30 percent of the cyclone could hit land in India and 70 percent in Bangladesh.

The director of the Meteorological Department said that the size of the entire cyclone may be 400 to 500 km, “Rimal” may cross the land as a strong cyclone. I don’t see the possibility of it being too strong. Its maximum wind speed can reach 130 kilometers per hour during landfall. So far we are seeing it as a severe cyclone.

By Saturday evening, the deep depression may turn into a cyclone, he said, “If it turns into a cyclone, we can issue 5/6/7 distress signal. Distress signals (8, 9 and 10) may be issued later. But later we will issue it according to the situation.

So far it is moving north and north-east. After becoming a cyclonic storm, it may turn north towards Bangladesh from today evening. The director of the Meteorological Department also said that the deep depression is now moving at a speed of 15 to 20 km.

At the end of the preparations to deal with the cyclone, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md. Mohibbur Rahman told reporters, “We have prepared 80,000 volunteers.” We have taken all the preparations. I have started working accordingly.

He said, “We have about 4,000 shelters in the coastal district. We have prepared them. For food, we have stocked enough dry food in warehouses in each district. I have made preparations so that I can provide more supplies from Dhaka if necessary.