Storm warning over Bangladesh

The weather office in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, has warned that a cyclone is likely to hit coastal areas of Bangladesh and India later on Tuesday.

The weather office says the area most at risk is the Sunderbans - the world's largest mangrove forest that spans India and Bangladesh.

It says the southern coastal districts of the country are likely to witness tidal surges five to seven feet high.

Weather officials say they have alerted the local administration to evacuate people from coastal areas and islands if necessary.

All the three sea ports in Bangladesh have been asked to hoist danger signals.

There are reports that gusts of wind have already started lashing at parts of the Bangladesh coast.

Some southern districts of Bangladesh have been experiencing torrential rainfall since Monday night, as has Dhaka.

The last update from the weather office said the storm was centered about 570 kilometres south-west of the port city of Chittagong.