Cyclone Mocha: Gust front begins crossing the coast

The gust front of Cyclone Mocha has started crossing the Cox's Bazar-North Myanmar coast. Bangladesh Meteorological Department said this in a special bulletin issued at 9:30 am on Sunday.

Cox’s Bazar has already been witnessing strong winds and rain due to the very severe cyclone Mocha.

According to the special bulletin number 18 issued by the Meteorological Department on Sunday, the very severe cyclone Mocha, which is located in the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas, is moving north-northeastward and concentrated in the north-east Bay and nearby areas.

The storm was centred about 385  km south-southwest of Chattogram port, 305 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 450 km south of Mongla port and 370 km south of Payra port at 06:00am Sunday, it added.

It has started crossing Cox's Bazar-North Myanmar coast. The cyclone is likely to move further north-northeastwards and cross the Cox's Bazar-North Myanmar coast by this afternoon or evening via Sittwe, Myanmar.

Meteorologist Bajlur Rashid told Prothom Alo on Sunday that Myanmar’s Sittwe will be the main centre of the cyclone. Its major impact will be from Cox's Bazar to Myanmar.

The sustained wind speed within the 74 kms of very severe cyclone Mocha is 195 kph which is rising up to 215 kph in gusts or squalls, said the latest bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD)

The weather forecast further said sea remains very rough near the storm centre.

The coastal district of Cox’s Bazar and its offshore islands and chars were asked to hoist great danger signal no. 10, while the Chattogram and Payra sea ports will come under great danger signal no. 8. Mongla sea port asked to hoist local warning signal no. 4.

The coastal districts of Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal no. 8.

Under the peripheral effect of very severe cyclone, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind-driven surge height of 8-12 feet above normal astronomical tide, according to the BMD bulletin.

Under the effect of the very severe cyclonic storm, there could heavy (44-88mm) to very heavy (89mm) rainfall in Chattogram, Sylhet, and Barishal divisions. Due to very heavy rainfall there could be mudslides in places of the hilly areas of Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Chattogram.