Bangladesh and Myanmar braced Sunday as a severe cyclone started to hit coastal areas. Authorities urged thousands of people in both countries to seek shelter.
On Sunday, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said that the outermost band of Cyclone Mocha had reached the coast of Rakhine state in the morning. They expected the center of the storm to make landfall near Sittwe township in the afternoon. Sittwe township was under the highest weather alert at the time.
Tin Nyein Oo, who is assisting people in shelters in Sittwe, reported that since Friday, more than 4,000 of the city’s 300,000 residents had evacuated to other cities. Additionally, more than 20,000 people were taking shelter in sturdy buildings. Such as monasteries, pagodas, and schools, located on the highlands of the city.
He added that many local people live in areas more than 3 meters above sea level. Residents believe the storm surge cannot reach.
Lin Lin, the chairman of a local charitable foundation, said earlier there was not enough food in the shelters in Sittwe after more people arrived than expected.
In most of Bangladesh, the weather remained sunny and humid on Sunday morning.
U.N. agencies and aid workers in Bangladesh prepositioned tons of dry food and dozens of ambulances with mobile medical teams in sprawling refugee camps that house more than 1 million Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar.
Bangladesh issued the highest danger signal for Cox’s Bazar, home to the camps. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned the cyclone could cause severe damage to lives and property in eight coastal districts.