Cyclone Mora: Evacuation ordered in coastal areas

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has ordered local authorities to evacuate people living in low-lying coastal areas to safety as Cyclone Mora is bearing down on the shore.

The cyclone brewing in the Bay of Bengal churned north towards Bangladesh's coasts, shutting the country's main port in Chittagong and long-haul river transports from Dhaka to southern districts.

Cyclone Mora expected to make landfall late on Monday night or Tuesday on the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar coast.

Meetings have been held on the evacuation plans in 19 districts along the coast. The authorities since noon have been making announcements by loudspeaker asking people to move to safety. 

“The local bodies have been asked to make arrangements to take people to shelters. They will all be moved to safety by evening,” said the ministry’s Additional Secretary Golam Mostafa.

But he could not say how many will be moved as part of the evacuation.

The cyclone is likely to intensify further and move in a northerly direction and cross Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar coast by Tuesday, the Met Office said in its 3pm bulletin on Monday.

“District and Upazila authorities are on the alert. We have sent enough food this morning according to the needs of people who are in at-risk areas,” Mostafa said.

The government formed medical and rescue teams with personnel from various agencies, said Abu Syed Mohammad Hashim, director at the Disaster Management Department.

Another 50,000 volunteers were on the standby.  

“We are following the cyclone’s path and updating information sitting with our stakeholders,” said Hashim. 

He said there are control rooms set up in all districts and upazilas, in addition to those in departments and divisions under the disaster management ministry.