‘Very Dangerous’ Cyclone Mocha Prompts High Alert in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is bracing for Cyclone Mocha, which is expected to make landfall on Sunday near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. The powerful cyclone could cause flash floods and landslides, as well as threaten the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, which is home to over a million refugees. The refugees live in shelters made of bamboo, tin, and polythene sheets, which are vulnerable to strong winds and rain. Bangladeshi authorities have ordered hundreds of thousands of people on southeastern coastlines to evacuate to safety. Over 1,500 cyclone centres have been set up with a target to evacuate 500,000 people in the two districts. Bangladesh has also set up 55 shelters at Bhasan Char offshore island, where nearly 30,000 Rohingya refugees have been relocated from the mainland.