Despite the formation of Cyclone Montha over the Bay of Bengal, its impact has not been felt along the Cox’s Bazar coastline.
Instead, bright sunshine has drawn large crowds of tourists to the world’s longest unbroken sea beach.
Throughout the day, the resort town baked under intense heat, yet the enthusiasm of holidaymakers showed no sign of waning.
On Monday (October 27) afternoon, crowds thronged the Kolatoli, Sugandha, and Laboni beach points.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, tourists flocked to the shore to bask in the golden glow of the sunset. Although it was not a weekend or public holiday, every beach point was buzzing with visitors.
Tourists were seen enjoying their time in various ways — some riding horses along the beach, others gliding over the waves on jet skis, while still others cruised on beach bikes, soaking in the mix of sun and sea breeze.
Tashnia Haque, a tourist from Dhaka, said, “There’s no sign of any cyclone here. It’s scorching hot instead! But even in this heat, we’re having a wonderful time.”
Another visitor, Raihan Uddin from Chattogram, shared, “We thought the sea would be rough because of the cyclone, but it’s completely calm. Riding beach bikes under the sun feels wonderful.”
Rashid Ahmed, a senior lifeguard with Sea Safe Lifeguards, said, “We haven’t observed any effect of the cyclone on Cox’s Bazar beach. The sea remains perfectly normal.”
Meanwhile, Abdul Hannan, an assistant meteorologist at the Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office, said Cyclone Montha, currently located over the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal, has moved slightly north-northwest.
At noon on Monday (October 27), the cyclone was located about 1,300 km from Chattogram port, 1,245 km from Cox’s Bazar, 1,200 km from Mongla, and 1,190 km from Payra port.
He added that we expect the system to intensify further and make landfall along India’s Andhra Pradesh coast by Tuesday evening or night (October 28).
Within a radius of 54 km from the cyclone’s center, the maximum sustained wind speed was recorded at 62 km per hour, gusting up to 88 km per hour in squally winds, making the sea rough near the system’s core.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has advised Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra seaports to hoist distant cautionary signal No. 2.
It has also instructed all fishing boats and trawlers in the north Bay of Bengal not to venture into the deep sea and to remain close to the coast, proceeding with caution.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
