Mocha, termed an extremely severe cyclonic storm by India Meteorological Department (IMD), completed its landfall between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm on Sunday, May 14.
According to IMD, the landfall point is north of Sittwe (in Myanmar). It is about 120 km south of Balukhali camp in Cox’s Bazar (which is in Bangladesh), which houses 500,000 Rohingya refugees.
The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that the cyclone will cause heavy rain, flooding, and landslides along the coasts of both countries.
As a result, both Bangladesh and Myanmar have taken precautions and evacuated thousands of people, including Rohingya refugees, to over 4,000 safety camps.
On 14 May, several deaths caused by wind and rain were reported in Myanmar, according to Associated Press.
Coastal Areas in West Bengal on High Alert
Meanwhile, Disaster Management Force personnel have been placed on high alert along the coastal areas of Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.
Seven groups of National Disaster Rresponse Force personnel, including divers, have been deployed in Digha-Mandarmani coastal areas in Purba Medinipur district.
Over 100 state disaster management group personnel have been deployed in Bakkhali sea beach in South 24 Parganas district as well to monitor the movement of tourists and locals.
Residents of coastal areas in both districts have been urged to evacuate during the cyclone's landfall, and arrangements have been made to facilitate this.
"Though the weather office has predicted that Cyclone Mocha will dodge past West Bengal, we have taken all precautionary measures in case there is any change. We have shifted people living in the low-lying coastal areas of Purba Medinipur, South 24 Parganas to our safe shelters and adequate relief materials have been sent to these areas," an official told news agency PTI.
Meteorologists previously warned Mocha could be the most powerful storm seen in Bangladesh in nearly 20 years.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)