Bijli has made landfall near Chittagog, Bangladesh, Saturday morning (lateafternoon EDT) and will continue to move in an east-northeasterly motion thisweekend across northwest Myanmar. Winds will slowly weaken during this time,but flooding rainfall is a considerable risk.The government of Myanmar issued a Cyclone Warning for the western coastalregion of the country.
Rainfall totals are expected to exceed 10 inches in many locations near thepath of Bijli. Along the immediate coast of western Myanmar and southeasternBangladesh, a dangerous storm surge of 3-6 feet is possible the next severalhours. There can also be an isolated tornado or two from Bijli.
Myanmar was struck by powerful Cyclone Nargis on May 2, 2008, resulting inthe worst natural disaster in Myanmar's recorded history. Nargis struck theIrrawaddy Delta, an area farther south than where Bijli is expected to makelandfall.
Bijli is not expected to be as strong as Nargis, and some of the terrain ismore hilly in the forecast strike area. However, there is potential fordevastating flooding this weekend, lasting into early next week. The storm alsohas potential to displace thousands of residents, and there is a significantrisk for loss of life in western Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski
