Plying of water vessels to and from Saint Martin’s has been suspended, leaving around 12,000 tourists stranded on the island, as the maritime ports have hoisted cautionary signal number 3 after cyclone Bulbul has intensified.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Saiful Islam said on Friday (Nov 8) the local administration has asked all tourist ships, fishing boats and trawlers and other water vessels not to move until further notice.
“Playing of all water vessels has been suspended on the Saint Martin’s route due to the adverse weather. Over a thousand tourists have been stranded on the island… They will be brought back after the situation improves,” he said.
Saint Martin’s union council chairman Noor Ahmed said the number of tourists stranded on the island would be around 12,000. “Decision about them will be taken after discussion with the UNO,” he said.
Local sources said the tourists are panicked due to the intensification of the cyclone over the Bay of Bengal which is moving towards the Bangladesh coast with a wind speed of up to 115 kilometres per hour.
People in Teknaf said no water vessels have left Cox’s Bazar for Saint Martin’s since Friday (Nov 8) morning.