As Cyclone "Mocha" intensifies into an extremely severe cyclonic storm, civil defense teams have been sent to Bakkhali Sea Beach in the South 24 Parganas of West Bengal, officials said on Saturday.
They stated that members of civil defense teams are constantly warning members of the general public as well as tourists to remain alert and not visit the beach or areas close to the sea.
"The condition is not good. We are continuously alerting the public and tourists to be alert and avoid coming to the beach," Anmol Das, a civil defence official, said.
Prior, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) sent 8 groups and 200 rescuers to West Bengal's Digha after alerts about cyclone 'Mocha' strengthening into a serious tempest.
"We've deployed 8 teams. 200 rescuers of NDRF deployed on the ground and 100 rescuers on standby," NDRF officials said earlier.
Mocha to make landfall today
According to the most recent bulletin issued by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Cyclone Mocha has begun to exert a peripheral effect over the coastal regions of the Chattorgram and Barishal divisions, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.
As indicated by BMD, Mocha is moving towards the seaside areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar with winds up to 210 km/h.
The cyclonic storm, as indicated by the warning, was situated at 12 PM around 490 kilometers south-southwest of Chattogram port, 410 kilometers south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 530 kilometers south of Mongla port, and 460 kilometers south of Payra port, as per Dhaka Tribune.
It is anticipated to expand today (May 14), continue in a north-northwesterly direction, and cross the coast of Cox's Bazar-North Myanmar between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, according to BMD.
West Bengal govt takes precautionary measures
A government official stated on Friday that the West Bengal government has relocated residents of low-lying and coastal areas of the state to safe shelters in order to prevent potential damage from Cyclone Mocha.
He stated that safe shelters in the low-lying coastal areas of the Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts, as well as some areas of the Sundarbans, have been provided with tarps, pouches containing drinking water, milk powder, dry food, baby food, and medicines.
"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," the official told PTI.
The Cyclonic storm 'Mocha' is supposed to make landfall on Sunday along the Bangladesh-Myanmar line, the India Meteorological Division (IMD) said.
The authority said disaster management teams, metro volunteers have arrived at Digha, Shankarpur, Bakkhali, regions which attract tourists.
Tourists and fishermen have been warned not to go into the water for three days beginning on Friday.
He added that Digha in the Purba Medinipur district was reached by eight NDRF search and rescue units on Thursday night.
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