Bangladesh has evacuated thousands of people as Cyclone Mocha, an extremely severe cyclonic storm, is expected to make landfall on Sunday at noon. The cyclone is set to hit with a maximum sustained wind speed of 180-190 Kmph gusting to 210 Kmph. The India Meteorological Department reports that Cyclone Mocha is centered over the East-central Bay of Bengal, likely to cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), close to Sittwe (Myanmar) around noon on May 14.
Civil Defence teams have been deployed at Bakkhali Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas and have alerted the public. Meanwhile, authorities in Bangladesh have launched a massive evacuation campaign to relocate close to half a million people along the southeastern coastlines. Cyclone Mocha is also threatening the Rohingya refugee camp, the world’s largest.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “Cyclone ‘Mocha’ is coming. We have kept the cyclone centers and taken all types of preparations to tackle it.” The district administration has turned social, educational, and religious institutions into makeshift shelters alongside 576 designated cyclone shelters in Cox’s Bazar to accommodate over half a million people.
Bangladesh’s Met Office reports that Cyclone Mocha is moving to the north-northwest, packing winds up to 175 kilometers per hour. The evacuation drive was taken as the maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been advised to hoist danger signal no 10 as Cyclone Mocha is likely to intensify further and move in a north-north-westerly direction.
