Cyclone Mocha: Great danger signal-10 at Cox’s Bazar

The meteorological department has asked the Cox’s Bazar maritime port to hoist the great danger signal -10 as the very severe cyclonic storm Mocha has been gaining strength in the Bay and moving towards the coast.

The Chattogram and Payra ports have been asked to hoist great danger signal -8 while the Mongla port will keep hoisting local warning signal -4.

An inter-ministerial meeting has been held on Saturday noon at the conference room of the disaster management and relief ministry.

In the meeting, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) briefed about the updates on the signals, which were then discussed, according to state minister for disaster management Enamur Rahman.

Later, the met office issued a special weather bulletin, instructing the maritime ports to hoist the signals.

According to the bulletin, the storm is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to Chattogram, Sylhet, and Barishal divisions and it may trigger landslides in hilly regions of Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Chattogram.

The coastal district of Cox’s Bazar, and its offshore islands and chars will remain under the purview of great danger signal-10 while Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal-8. 

The bulletin said coastal regions of Chattogram and Barishal divisions are likely to experience the peripheral effect of the cyclone by tonight. Heavy (44 to 88 mm) to very heavy (more than 89 mm) rain may occur in Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal divisions.

As of 12:00 pm on Saturday, the cyclone was centered about 705 km south-southwest of Chattogram port, 630 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 695 km south-southwest of Mongla port, and 645 km south-southwest of Payra port.

The cyclone is likely to intensify further, move towards a north-northwesterly direction, and cross Cox’s Bazar and the north Myanmar coast between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm on Sunday.

Due to the peripheral effect of the cyclone and steep pressure gradient, low-lying areas of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram, as well as their offshore islands and chars, are likely to be inundated by a wind-driven surge height of 8-12 feet above the normal astronomical tide.

Additionally, the low-lying areas, offshore islands, and chars of Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, and Bhola may be inundated by a surge height of 5-7 feet.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice.