Dhaka - Authorities on Friday evacuated several thousand residents of islands in the Bay of Bengal as a moderate-intensity cyclone, Bijli, was forecast to hit the Bangladeshi coast early Saturday, officials said.

"People from low-lying islands were brought to cyclone shelter centres Friday, and we have prepared to evacuate other costal residents to safer places if required," said MS Akbar, chairman of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.

Officials at the meteorological department said Bijli was expected to make landfall early Saturday at the Meghna estuary between the Chittagong and Barisal districts.

The maximum sustained winds within 54 kilometres of the cyclone's centre were about 70 kilometres per hour with gusts measured at 90 kilometres per hour, a weather bulletin said.

Heavy rainfall was recorded Friday in coastal districts, and the low-lying coastal areas of Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bhola, Barisal and Chandpur and their offshore islands were warned to expect water surge of 2 to 3 meters above normal tide.

Fishing boats and trawlers in the northern Bay of Bengal were ordered to take shelter, and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority suspended river transport service.

Thousands of volunteers have been asking coastal residents to go to safer places, especially to cyclone shelter centres constructed after the devastation of the November 2007 Supercyclone Sidr, which killed more than 4,000 people. (dpa)