Online Desk  :   The Depression over east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Andaman Sea moved West-Northwestwards and intensified into a Deep Depression over the East-Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining area, according to a special bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Tuesday night. At 6pm on Tuesday, it was centred about ‘740 kms, West-Southwest of Chattogram port, 660 kms West-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 75 5 kms South-Southeast of Mongla port and 700 kms South-Southeast of Payra port, UNB reports.

It is likely to move West-Northwesterly direction further and intensify into a cyclonic storm. Maximum sustained wind speed within 48 kms of the deep depression centre is about 50 kph rising to 60 kph in gusts or squa11s. Sea will remain rough near the system centre. Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted distant cautionary signal number 1.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice, so that they can take shelter within a short notice. The India Meteorological Department (IMD), on the other hand, already predicted on Monday that a powerful cyclonic storm, named Cyclone ‘Dana’, is expected to develop from the depression and make landfall along the coasts of Bangladesh and India on October 24, posing a severe threat to the coastal regions.