Bangladesh on alert as cyclone gathers strength

Dhaka, Apr 28: Bangladesh, where cyclones kill hundreds every year, today braced for a powerful storm gathering force in the Bay of Bengal.

Weather officials said the storm was headed for Bangladesh and Myanmar and was expected to hit land on Saturday near Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar.

''Mala'' is the first such storm to be named in the area, meaning ''a garland of flowers'' in Bengali.

''Currently the storm is more poised to make landfall in Myanmar but it can change course any moment and race towards our coast,'' said a meteorology official on Friday afternoon.

Chittagong issued storm warning to ships at berth while fishing trawlers were told to return to harbour.

Bangladesh is still haunted by memories of the country's worst cyclone in 1991 which killed at least 138,000 people.

Coincidentally, General Henry C. Stackpole, former commander of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force which helped in the ''Operation Sea Angel'' rescue following that cyclone, was visiting Chittagong on Friday on a goodwill tour.

REUTERS