Cyclone Mocha: West Bengal authorities on high alert, 3 killed in Myanmar
At least three people were killed and several buildings and infrastructures were damaged after cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar's Rakhine region on Sunday with wind speeds of up to 130 mph (209 km/h), the country’s meteorological department said.
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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: IANS |Updated: May 15, 2023, 11:48 AM IST
The maiden cyclonic storm of the season, Cyclone Mocha, has formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal. Atmospheric conditions are very conducive for Cyclone Mocha to intensify further.
The reason, say, experts, is a warmer ocean that is fuel for ever more powerful storms, threatening the region with violent winds, flooding, and landslides that could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of people.
Authorities in West Bengal are currently on alert. The Indian Ocean region, including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, is of particular concern because of the high population density along its coastlines.
Myanmar's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said the extremely severe cyclonic storm Mocha is now moving inland from the Bay of Bengal after making landfall. Local authorities said that their emergency response teams were in cooperation with local rescue teams conducting rescue operations in the cyclone-hit areas, reports Xinhua news agency.
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They said that they have deployed 10 emergency rescue teams and 112 vehicles carrying food, drinking water, and rescue equipment in Rakhine State, and its nearest regions and states on Saturday.
Hundreds of thousands of people in Rakhine State were already evacuated ahead of the cyclone, local media reported.
The extremely severe cyclonic storm moving northwards and northeastwards is forecast to hit Chin State and Magway Region, according to the weather bureau.
The weather agency also forecast that the storm will cross Sagaing Region as a cyclonic storm on Monday before weakening into a depression.
The cyclone Mocha that hit the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar on Sunday with winds of up to 130 mph (about 209 kph) ripped away tin roofs and uprooted trees in the townships in Rakhine State.
All the fishing boats, trawlers, and maritime vessels were already advised to remain in shelter till further notice, it said.
Cyclone Mocha came after towns in Myanmar experienced record-high temperatures amid a scorching heatwave in the past few days.
The extremely severe cyclone, which is the first to form in the Bay of Bengal this year, is said to be the strongest to hit the region in recent years.
At least three people were killed and several buildings and infrastructures were damaged after cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar's Rakhine region on Sunday with wind speeds of up to 130 mph (209 km/h), the country’s meteorological department said, reported Associated Press.