Dhaka, May 14 (BNA): A powerful storm lashed the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate to safer places, many from flimsy homes in low-lying areas.
Cyclone Mocha, with winds of up to 210 kilometers per hour (130 mph), can cause sea surges of up to 12 feet (4 metres) affecting more than 2 million people directly in its path, mostly in Rakhine states and Chin in Myanmar. mentioned.
However, the United Nations Satellite Center has warned that many could suffer as the storm moves inland from the Bay of Bengal.
“Saving lives is our main priority,” said Megan Rahman, a disaster relief official in neighboring Bangladesh, which evacuated some 300,000 people before the storm hit land at noon.
Aid workers are worried about the dangers to the more than a million Rohingya refugees, including half a million children, who live in camps in the beach town of Cox’s Bazar near the path of the cyclone.
“People at risk are on the way to transfer to safe shelters and we are also arranging relief packages,” said Farah Kabir of ActionAid Bangladesh.
ZHB