Cyclone Ditwah forms over Bay

The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Sri Lanka coast has intensified into Cyclone Ditwah, prompting authorities to raise alert levels at Bangladesh’s maritime ports.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) issued special bulletin on Thursday, November 27, advising the ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to lower distant cautionary signal 1 and instead hoist distant warning signal 2.

As of 12:00pm, Cyclone Ditwah was positioned: 2,040 km southwest of Chattogram port, 1,980 km southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 1,940 km southwest of Mongla port, and 1,935 km southwest of Payra port.

The storm is expected to continue moving north-northwestward, the bulletin said.

According to the Met Office, the cyclone is sustaining wind speeds of 62 km/h near its centre, with gusts rising up to 88 km/h. The sea around the storm zone remains very rough.

Authorities have also issued restrictions for maritime activities.

“Fishing boats and trawlers operating in the north Bay have been advised not to venture into deep sea until further notice,” the bulletin stated.

Meteorologists are monitoring the cyclone’s trajectory closely. No landfall forecast for Bangladesh has yet been issued.

More updates are expected as the system progresses.