Over 4 lakh people evacuated to safe shelters as Cyclone Mocha nears Bangladesh Coast
The Government of Bangladesh has evacuated more than four lakh people as the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha approached the coast of Bangladesh. Coastal areas in Chattogram have been experiencing intermittent rain since Friday afternoon.
The peripheral effect of the very severe cyclone Mocha has started over the coastal regions of the Chattogram and Barisal divisions. Cox’s Bazar administration has evacuated more than 4 lakh people to safe cyclone shelters as the Cyclone approached its landfall today.
The area has been experiencing intermittent rain since Friday afternoon. However, the cyclone has not made landfall. It remained centred at midnight last night about 410 km of Cox’s Bazar, 490 km from Chattogram, 530 km from Mongla and 460 km from Payra port. It may cross Cox’s Bazar area and North Myanmar’s coast around 9 a.m., said the BMD bulletin. Maximum sustained windspeed within 74 km of the centre of the cyclone is about 190 kmph rising to 210 kmph.
The wind-driven surge of a height 8-12 feet above the normal astronomical tide is likely to flood the low-lying areas in the coastal areas of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram. Chattogram, Sylhet and Barisal divisions are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rain due to the effect of cyclone Mocha.