Cyclone Nargis that brewed in the Bay of Bengal bypassed Bangladesh's coasts and moved towards Myanmar Friday, according to a storm warning bulletin.

The bulletin of the Storm Warning Centre of the Meteorological Department in Dhaka said the storm moved eastwards and was crossing Myanmar coast near Bassein at 6:00 pm Friday, report agencies.

Nargis that intensified into a severe cyclonic storm with a core of hurricane winds Friday is expected to move in an easterly direction and complete crossing Myanmar coast by Friday night, the bulletin said.

Still, the government advised coastal officials and volunteers to stay alert so that they could face any impact of the cyclone.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 64 km of the storm centre was about 120 kph, rising to 140 kph in gusts. The sea remained rough, it said.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted distant warning signal number 2 (two).

All fishing boats and merchant ships in the Bay of Bengal have been advised to stay anchored until further notice.

The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining southeast Bay turned into a cyclonic storm Nargis on April 28.

Nargis had intensified into a severe cyclone on April 29.

The weather officials had earlier said Nargis was weaker than Tropical Cyclone Sidr that killed some 3,400 people in November.

Earlier, the government took all preparations to face the cyclone Nargis and kept the coastal district administrations alert. Some 42,000 volunteers were also ready for the evacuation of the coastal people, in case of necessity.

However, the good news came Thursday evening when the Nargis that behaved erratic changed its course and took eastward direction.

On November 15 last year, cyclone Sidr, which battered a large part of the country, caused huge devastation particularly in the coastal districts.