Dhaka - Authorities in Bangladesh on Thursday alerted coastal residents about an intensifying cyclone in the central Bay of Bengal, officials said.

The Meteorological Department advised coastal residents and crews on fishing boats in the bay to be cautious after the deep depression over the south-east and central Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclone early Thursday.

The cyclone was named Bijli and was centred about 875 kilometres south of the port of Cox's Bazar and 760 kilometres south of Mongla port at 9 am (0400 GMT), according to a department statement.

Department officials said the cyclone was moving slowly northward with maximum sustained winds of 60 kilometres per hour.

The storm has made the sea rough, it added. Fishing boats and trawlers have been asked to remain close to the shore and proceed with caution, it bulletin said.

Many cyclones have made landfall in Bangladesh, causing large losses of lives and property in the past few years. In November 2007, Supercyclone Sidr devastated 12 southern districts, leaving as many as 4,000 people killed and tens of thousands homeless. (dpa)