Mocha likely to be turned into super cyclone

According to the Met office, Mocha might develop into a cyclonic storm today (Thursday) and hit the shores of Cox's Bazar and Myanmar on Sunday.

Mocha is expected to become a very strong cyclonic storm by midnight and a severe cyclonic storm by this morning, according to the meteorological offices in Bangladesh and India.

The government has advised farmers in the coastal region to harvest ripe paddy, mango and other farm produce to avoid damage by the cyclone.

The government also cancelled leaves and holidays of civil servants in those areas until further notice.

Yesterday, Enamur Rahman, the state's minister for disaster management, warned that the storm might intensify into a super cyclone with gusts of up to 200 kph.

"Teknaf's low-lying neighborhoods and Saint Martin's are particularly vulnerable. After an inter-ministerial conference on readiness at the ministry, he told reporters that the residents would be transferred to safer locations.

The cyclone was centered at 1,420 kilometers south of Chattogram Port, 1,340 kilometers south of Cox's Bazar, 1,400 kilometers south-southeast of Mongla Port, and 1,360 kilometers south-southeast of Payra Port, according to a special report released by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department at around 10:00 p.m.

Maritime ports in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist distant cautionary Signal-1, which means Mocha has windspeed of at least 61kmph.

"Fishing boats and trawlers over north bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution," read the bulletin.

The Indian Met Department said Mocha is likely to trigger a tidal surge with a height of 1.5 to 2.0 metres, risking inundation of low-lying areas of South East Bangladesh coasts and North Myanmar during landfall.

Enamur announced that Tk 20 lakh had been set up by the ministry for the management of cyclone shelters in Cox's Bazar and Chattogram.

About 200 tonnes of rice and about 14 tonnes of dry bread had been set aside for the shelters.