Mocha may turn into a cyclonic storm today and it may make landfall in Cox’s Bazar and Myanmar coasts on Sunday. The meteorological departments in Bangladesh and India forecast that Mocha will further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by this morning and a very severe cyclonic storm by midnight. 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. The cyclone may turn into a super cyclone and the wind speed may be 180 to 200 kilometres per hour. The Saint Martin’s and low-lying areas of Teknaf are at high risk. The residents will be taken to safer places. Maritime ports in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist distant cautionary Signal No-1, which means Mocha has wind speed of at least 61 kmph. Fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution. Thousands of people living along the coastline in Patuakhali are in fear, especially since large parts of embankments, which protect villages at such times, remain damaged.
Numerous researches have highlighted that, on average, Bangladesh faces the most destructive cyclones. In the last 100 years, 508 cyclones have hit Bangladesh. Bangladesh has more than 14,000 shelters, which have the capacity to accommodate 2.4 million people. As a result, over the last 25 years, fatalities have been reduced by 75 per cent. Bangladesh has also improved in deploying women volunteers and staff to ensure women’s safety.
However, the post-disaster scenario is worse. Floods, salinity intrusion, waterlogging, food scarcity, loss of agricultural lands, and loss of property and infrastructure are some of the consequences of cyclones that communities have to deal with. The government should focus on the post-disaster response, and control damage by constructing durable embankments, roads and housing facilities.
