Cyclone Mocha Starts Hitting Bangladesh, Myanmar Coasts

Mocha, a category-five storm, started hitting the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar on Sunday.

The severe storm is bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 195 kph, which could cause dangerous flooding in place near the Bay of Bengal.

Storm surges of up to four metres could engulf villages in low-lying areas. There are fears that it will impact Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp, where over one million displaced Muslim Rohingya refugees are living in makeshift camps.

According to the latest Met Office warming, the cyclone is 250 kilometres south of Cox’s Bazar and is now crossing the shore.

It was expected to make landfall with heavy rainfall and winds on Sunday afternoon. Wind-driven tidal surges of eight to twelve feet over normal are expected to inundate the low-lying area of areas of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram.

Tidal surges of five to seven feet over average are also expected to flood low-lying areas of Feni, Noakhali, Laxmpur, Chandpur, and Bhola.

Meteorologists have previously warned that Mocha might be the strongest storm to hit Bangladesh in over two decades.

The category 4 cyclone has intensified into a category-five storm.

Approximately 500,000 people have been evacuated to safer locations.

Bangladesh closed local airports, ordered fisherfolks to stop working, and put up 1,500 shelters while people from susceptible locations were relocated to safer areas as part of the government’s preparation.

Officials claimed the government, with the help of UN agencies and charity workers, has kept tonnes of dry food and dozens of ambulances equipped with mobile medical teams on hand in sprawling camps of the Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar.

Residents and officials are concerned that the Mocha-triggered tidal surges could bring catastrophic deluges and landslides, jeopardizing the lives of those living in hillside camps, where mudslides are common.

The World Meteorological Organisation, a United Nations agency, has warned that the super cyclone will bring severe rain, flooding, and landslides to Bangladesh and Myanmar’s shores.

However, Bangladesh Meteorological Department Mohammad Azizur Rahman stated that the risk for Bangladesh has dropped.

Rahman further said that areas in Myanmar and its southern region are expected to be at greater risk.

“The risk has reduced a lot in our Bangladesh”, Rahman added.

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