Tropical Cyclone MOCHA is expected to cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Sittwe (Myanmar) on May 14th, according to the latest update from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The cyclone is expected to bring maximum sustained winds of 150-160 km/h, with gusts up to 175 km/h, and is likely to cause significant damage.

The coasts and offshore islands are expected to be inundated with a 5-7 feet tidal surge. This could lead to severe flooding, causing damage to infrastructure and crops, and threatening the safety of thousands of people in the region.

In Myanmar, around 285,000 displaced people are directly exposed to the cyclone in Rakhine and Chin states. Thousands of families have been pre-evacuated, but many remain at risk. There are already about 6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.2 million people displaced in the northwest who are living in precarious conditions in camps, displacement sites, or in forests without proper shelter.

In Bangladesh, around 2.8 million people in Bandarban, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Rangamati are to be evacuated. Refugee camps hosting one million Rohingya refugees could be significantly affected. Preparedness activities are still ongoing in terms of prepositioning of stocks and resources, but time is running out to complete all necessary measures.

Flights to Cox’s Bazar have been canceled, and the government is urging people in the affected areas to move to safety immediately. The authorities have also urged fishermen not to venture into the sea.

In India, heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in the northeast states, which could lead to landslides and flooding in some areas.

The situation is being closely monitored by the authorities in all three countries, and efforts are underway to minimize the impact of the cyclone on the local population. We will bring you further updates as the situation develops.