Bangladesh Coast Evacuated as Powerful Cyclone Nears

Relief workers evacuated about 500,000 people Friday from coastal villages likely to be hit by an approaching cyclone.

The storm, due to hit southeast Bangladesh today, could be as strong as the April, 1991, cyclone that killed about 131,000 people in the same region.

Volunteers and rescue officials with megaphones moved from village to village urging people to leave. They were authorized to use force if needed, but memories of last year’s disaster probably were the best persuader.

Late Friday, the storm churned the Bay of Bengal 140 miles southwest of Chittagong, with 120-m.p.h. winds, gusting up to 130 m.p.h. In 1991, winds hit 145 m.p.h.

Imdad Hossain, director of the Bangladesh Red Crescent--similar to the Red Cross--said 21,000 Red Crescent volunteers joined by thousands of government rescue workers spread out along the coast to speed up the evacuation. He said about 500,000 people were moved out Friday, and that about 2 million live directly in the path of the cyclone. About 7 million people live along the 250-mile coast and on offshore islands.

Officials in Chittagong said ships were told to anchor farther out. Naval ships were ordered to safer waters. Military planes were flown to safer bases.

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees called an emergency meeting in Cox’s Bazar to discuss the danger to 265,000 Muslim refugees who fled neighboring Myanmar this year, alleging persecution by the Burmese army.