The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Payra have been advised to hoist great danger signal 8 as Cyclone Mocha has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm over the southeastern Bay of Bengal and its adjacent areas.
Besides, Mongla seaport has been asked to show local warning signal 4.
Coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Jhalkathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, and their nearby islands and chars will also be under great danger signal 8.
The maximum sustained wind speed could be 140km-160km per hour at the 74km area from the centre of the storm, he said.
According to the Met office bulletin, very strong cyclonic storm Mocha has moved northwestwards at 14.5°N latitude and 88.5°E longitude.
He said at 6pm on Friday, Cyclone Mocha was 930km south-southwest from the Chattogram sea port and 860km south-southwest from Cox’s Bazar seaport, 890km south-southwest from Mongla seaport and 855km south-southwest from Payra seaport.
It may intensify and move further north-northeastward and cross Cox’s Bazar-North Myanmar coast between 6am and 6pm on 14 May.
Md Monowar Hossain said, “In the last two days the cyclone was likely to hit some parts of Teknaf, but Friday’s update showed that the cyclone would pass over a large part of the coastal areas of Bangladesh including Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. It is likely to hit several areas including Myanmar’s Rakhine province.”
Meanwhile, Mostafa Kamal Polash, a PhD researcher on weather and climate at Saskatchewan University in Canada, said coastal areas of Bangladesh may face the threat of 10-20 feet high tides due to the impact of the cyclone.
He said the forecast was based on information from the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre operated by the US Navy.
The centre has predicted Cyclone Mocha to become a super-cyclone while the wind speed will be more than 221 km per hour.
“In addition, the coastal areas of Noakhali and Chattogram may face 10-12 feet tidal waves, 8-12 feet in the districts of Barisal division and 7-10 feet tidal waves in the districts of Khulna division,” he added.
Cyclone Mocha has created waves of 28 feet in height in the sea around 9am today, he said.
Saint Martin at risk
Mostafa Kamal Polash said that people in Saint Martin, the only coral island in the country, are at risk and it is not safe to take shelter in any building below three floors.
“We are expecting 15-20 feet high tides in St Martin. The island is facing a great threat. I will request the government to take the people of this island to the shelter,” he added.
On Friday, many residents of Saint Martin have begun leaving the island and coming to Teknaf via trawlers.
Sources said about 1,500 people from at least 200 families from the island were reported to have arrived in Teknaf by Friday afternoon.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamruzzaman said, “The people of the island tend to go to the homes of their relatives in Teknaf when the weather is bad,” he added.
He said there is no reason to panic as 17 shelters have been prepared on the island.
Meanwhile, Bibhishan Kanti Das, additional deputy commissioner (general) of Cox’s Bazar, said that 576 shelters have been set up in coastal areas of the district to handle the cyclone.
The administration has also stockpiled 590 tonnes of rice, seven tonnes of dry food, and 194 bundles of corrugated tins. An emergency fund of Tk20.30 lakh in cash has been created, he said.
1,120 shelters and 16,000 volunteers ready in Chattogram
To prepare for Cyclone Mocha, the authorities in Chattogram city and district have readied 1,120 shelters and enlisted 16,000 volunteers. Authorities said that the shelters have the capacity to host more than 6 lakh people.
The district administration and city corporation have also stockpiled dry food, such as rice and biscuits, for emergency use.
Md Towhidul Islam, nezarat deputy collector of Chattogram District Administration, said they have stored 608 tonnes of rice, 3.5 tonnes of toasted biscuits, 3.4 tonnes of dry cake, 30,000 packets of Orsaline, and 60,000 water purification tablets for post-disaster relief activities.
Additionally, Chattogram Wasa has established five control rooms to maintain normal water supply in the city after the cyclone and to promptly address customer complaints.
However, the traders at Khatunganj, the largest wholesale market for consumer goods in the country, appear to be unprepared for Cyclone Mocha.
*Our correspondents Omar Faruque and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury also contributed to the story.