Over the weekend, the super cyclone Mocha made landfall along the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, intensifying into a category-five storm with wind speeds of up to 195 kph. This powerful cyclone is causing heavy rainfall and could lead to dangerous flooding in the areas around the Bay of Bengal. Storm surges of up to four metres could swamp villages in low-lying areas. Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, home to over one million displaced Muslim Rohingya, is at risk. According to the latest bulletin by the Met Office, the cyclone is 250 kilometres south of Cox’s Bazar and is now crossing the coast. The low-lying areas of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram are likely to be inundated by wind-driven tidal surges eight to 12 feet above normal, with tidal surges of five to seven feet above normal likely to deluge low-lying parts of Feni, Noakhali, Laxmpur, Chandpur, and Bhola.
Meteorologists previously warned that Mocha could be the most powerful storm seen in Bangladesh in nearly two decades, with around 500,000 people evacuated to safer areas. Disaster Management Force personnel are on high alert along the coastal areas of Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal as the storm is expected to make its way there. “Seven groups of NDRF personnel including divers were deployed in Digha-Mandarmani coastal areas in Purba Medinipur district as the sea turned choppy,” said a statement from officials. The situation remains precarious, and authorities are urging people to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions.
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