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With previous predictions that Mocha would have winds of up to 220 km/h, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, authorities continued to evacuate people from risk areas to community centers.
On the morning of May 14, Cyclone Mocha was heading towards Cox's Bazar, southern Bangladesh, as forecast. Earlier predictions said that Mocha would have winds of up to 220 km/h, equivalent to a Category 4 storm, and authorities continued to evacuate people from the risk area to community centers.
Authorities had earlier ordered the emergency evacuation of nearly 1 million people in coastal areas. Operations in Chittagong, Bangladesh's largest seaport, were suspended. Ramesh Singh, country director of the international humanitarian and development assistance organization CARE Bangladesh, said CARE Bangladesh was on high alert and was monitoring the storm's developments.
According to Mr. Azizur Rahman, Director of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Mocha is the strongest storm since Cyclone Sidr in November 2007, which hit the southern coast of Bangladesh, killing more than 3,000 people and causing billions of dollars in damage.
Meanwhile, in Myanmar, authorities have raised the cyclone warning to the highest level for seven towns in Rakhine state as the storm draws closer. The Myanmar Meteorological Department forecasts that Cyclone Mocha will hit towns in Rakhine state on the morning of May 14 with winds of up to 218 km/h and waves nearly 2 meters high.
Weather forecasters have warned that Mocha, the first cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal this year, will be the strongest to hit Myanmar in more than a decade. People in mountainous areas have been urged to take precautions against heavy rains and landslides, and those in coastal areas against high tides.
Myanmar Airways has canceled all flights to Rakhine State until May 16. According to the Myanmar National Disaster Management Committee, 57 safe shelters have been prepared in 17 townships in Rakhine State. The committee has deployed 10 teams and 112 vehicles carrying food, water and rescue equipment in the state to deal with the emergency.
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| Image of storm Mocha. Photo: CNN |
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| Preparing food for Rakhine state |
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| Rakhine State residents take shelter |
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