Two successive low pressures turning into well-marked lows and depressions, one forming into a deep depression, made fishing in the Bay of Bengal and coastal areas dangerous. The Meteorological Department issued warnings for fishermen and the maritime ports. But some of the fishermen did not heed the warnings and were reportedly missing in coastal districts, which also suffered from high tides whipping up surges higher than normal astronomical tides caused by the depression on August 9 and another on August 11.
The Meteorological Department has withdrawn the local cautionary signal No. 3 for the maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra, as calm has returned to the Bay of Bengal following the departure of the deep depression from the sea.
The depression moved north-westwards to the Indian state of Jharkhand on Wednesday, turning into a land depression. But not before turning the Bay rough, with high winds whipping up sea surges that swelled the coastal rivers in the delta, ripping through the embankments in Bhola, inundating many villages and croplands on Thursday.
It also affected the coastal districts of Jhalkathi and Patuakhali. High tides inundated low-lying areas there and in other districts along the coast, reports said.