Coasts brace for Cyclone Mocha

Cyclone Mocha was gaining pace in the Bay of Bengal and turned into a severe cyclone before midnight yesterday with its eye moving further towards the Cox's Bazar-Myanmar coast at a speed of 8 kilometres per hour.

Weathermen said the cyclone sharing characteristics of Sidr, which devastated parts of the country in 2007, is still 1,180km away from Cox's Bazar coastline. It may make landfall on Sunday.

"Cyclone Mocha is expected to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm tomorrow [Friday]," Md Azizur Rahman, director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), said in a press briefing yesterday afternoon.

A very severe cyclone is projected to have wind speeds ranging from 119kmph to 219kmph, while a severe cyclone will have wind speeds between 89kmph and 117kmph.

Cyclone Mocha is likely to hit coastal areas including Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, Bhola, and Myanmar coasts on Sunday, according to the BMD director.

Coastal people can expect rainfall and gusty winds from tomorrow.

In a special bulletin issued around noon yesterday, the BMD said the cyclone was centred about 1,205km south-southwest of the Chattogram Port, 1,130km south-southwest of Cox's Bazar Port, 1,165km south-southwest of Mongla Port, and 1,130km south-southwest of Payra Port.

As a precautionary measure, the maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to hoist warning signal number 2.

The Met office has advised all fishing boats and trawlers in the north Bay and deep sea to stay close to the coast and proceed with caution.

According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Mocha might have a wind speed up to 175km while making the landfall on Sunday. 

Asked about the possible storm surge, Mohon Kumar Das, executive director at National Oceanographic and Maritime Institute (NOAMI), said he followed IMD. As per the model of Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), the storm surge could be 2 to 2.5 metres higher than the normal tide.

He further said both Cyclone Sidr and Cyclone Mocha generated in the same area of the Bay. Mocha is showing a track record more or less similar to Sidr while approaching the coast.

Meanwhile, the government has given directives to the field administration to prepare for the impact of the cyclone.

"If necessary, we will use schools and madrasas as shelters besides the permanent cyclone centres," said Kamrul Hasan, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

"The local administration officials and Ansar members will work to motivate people to go to the shelters."

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Bibhishan Kanti Das said they have an adequate number of cyclone shelters across the district.

"We have taken preparations to shelter about five lakh people," he said. Besides, they asked businesspeople in St Martin's Island to store food for at least seven days.

Special measures have been taken to evacuate around 6,000 people living in the shanties at word-1 of the beach town.

The cyclone is yet to show any impact in the coastal area.

Abdul Matin, a fish trader at Fishery Ghat in Cox's Bazar, told The Daily Star, "Most of the fishing trawlers are now at sea and they are about five hours away from the shore. They will be able to come back if the sea becomes rough."

The fishermen are also not going into the deep sea as a two-month fishing ban will be imposed possibly from May 20, he added.

Ahead of the cyclone, farmers are busy with Boro harvest. The government has already urged growers across the country to harvest ripe paddy, mango and other crops before Cyclone Mocha hits.