Cyclone Mocha is among the strongest cyclones seen in Bangladesh in almost 20 years

Dhaka/Coxs Bazar:

Authorities in Bangladesh on Saturday launched an enormous evacuation marketing campaign to relocate near half one million individuals alongside the southeastern coastlines as a “very dangerous” tropical cyclone is predicted to make landfall within the nation, threatening the Rohingya refugee camp, the world’s largest.

Cyclone Mocha, probably the most highly effective cyclones seen in Bangladesh in almost 20 years, is predicted to barrel in the direction of the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on Sunday.

“Cyclone ‘Mocha’ is coming. We have kept the cyclone centres and taken all types of preparations to tackle it,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina mentioned.

The evacuation drive was taken because the maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been suggested to hoist hazard sign no 10 as Cyclone Mocha is more likely to intensify additional and transfer in a north-north-westerly course.

Meteorologists mentioned the storm’s path is ready to have an effect on Bangladesh’s southeastern border district of Cox’s Bazar the place over one million Rohingya refugees dwell.

Bangladeshi authorities have arrange 55 shelters at Bhasan Char offshore island, the place almost 30,000 of the Rohingya refugees have been relocated from the mainland.

Bangladesh solely devoted the Bhasan Char to the Rohingyas although most of them dwell within the mainland of Cox’s Bazar adjoining to Myanmar borders.

Most of them fled to neighbouring Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown in Myanmar in 2017.

“The district administration has turned social, educational, and religious institutions as makeshift shelters alongside 576 designated cyclone shelters in Cox’s Bazar to accommodate over half a million people, deputy commissioner or administrative chief of the coastal district Muhammad Shahin Imran told reporters.

Imran said around 8,600 Red Crescent volunteers have joined a campaign asking people to relocate even as the district administration has mobilised transports to carry them to shelters.

Bangladesh’s Met Office in its latest special weather bulletin said “Cyclone Mocha” continued to move to the north-northwest packing winds up to 175 kilometres per hour.

“The cyclone may trigger tidal surges from 8 to 12 toes past the conventional tide,” an official in the Met Office said.

Prime Minister Hasina warned that the cyclone could disrupt electricity and gas supplies and particularly cause water stagnation in coastal areas.

“This cyclone (Mocha) is essentially the most highly effective storm since Cyclone Sidr of 2007,” chief meteorologist Azizur Rahman said.

Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh’s southwestern coast killing more than 3,000 people and inflicting damages to the tune of billions of dollars.

On Friday, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) feared a storm surge of 2-2.5 metres over the weekend that was likely to inundate low-lying areas of North Myanmar as well as parts of Bangladesh where flash floods and landslides were also possible.

“It’s a really harmful cyclone and is related to violent winds. There will probably be main impacts each forward and after landfall for probably a whole lot of hundreds of the world’s most weak individuals,” WMO spokesman Clare Nullis told a press briefing in Geneva.

Meanwhile, thousands have been relocated from Saint Martin Island, which is situated about 9 km south of the tip of Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula.

Junior minister for disaster management Enamur Rahman said six districts stretching along the southern coastlines could witness severe tidal surges.

A journalist in Cox’s Bazar told PTI that a state of calm was being witnessed in the town since the morning amid drizzles while residents of the low-lying areas of the town and its adjacent areas started moving to cyclone shelters.

He said the Pouro Preparatory High School in the town alone sheltered over 200 people from the low-lying Samity Para area of the beach town.

“Our house is within the low-lying areas whereas the surges are more likely to inundate the realm. So, we have now taken shelter with my kids and spouse right here however nonetheless, we’re frightened,” Shafiqul Alam instructed information company Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The deputy commissioner mentioned the cyclonic storm would possibly trigger landslides within the hilly areas of the district and works have been underway to relocate individuals dwelling in dangerous factors of foothills to safer locations.

UN refugee company spokesperson Olga Sarrado mentioned preparations have been underway for a partial evacuation of the Rohingya refugee camp if wanted.

The company was additionally making ready tens of hundreds of sizzling meals and jerrycans, she mentioned.

Bangladeshi authorities have arrange 55 shelters at Bhasan Char offshore island, the place almost 30,000 of the Rohingya refugees have been relocated from the mainland.

The Chattogram port has been placed on the best alert. The docked ships are being moved to the outer anchorage.

Sunday’s exams on the National University have additionally been postponed.

The Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry mentioned it halted supplying LNG from two floating terminals in Cox’s Bazar. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)