DHAKA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Cyclone Asani, which is raging in the Bay of Bengal, on Wednesday brought intermittent light rainfall to parts of Bangladesh including the capital Dhaka.
The city's overcast sky and cool winds, however, brought much relief to people from the blistering summer heat that had continued for weeks.
Kh Hafizur Rahman, a meteorologist with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), told Xinhua that they had recorded 29 mm of rainfall in Dhaka in the last 12 hours till 6:00 p.m. Wednesday (1200 GMT).
The weatherman said rain and low temperature could continue for the next two days, with temporary gusty or squally wind under the influence of Asani, which is likely to weaken into a cyclonic storm by Wednesday night and into a depression by Thursday.
On a hot summer day in Dhaka, the temperature usually remains between 27 and 28 degrees Celsius. However, the BMD recorded Dhaka's temperature on Wednesday at 24.8 degrees Celsius as it has been cloudy in the city.
Many are seen to be caught out in rains while walking on the busiest Dhaka streets.
Some city areas, however, appeared less crowded as people apparently preferred to stay indoors due to the gloomy weather.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast, proceed with caution till further notice, and not to venture into the deep sea, a bulletin of the BMD warned. ■