Reuters | | Posted by Nisha Anand
Tropical cyclone Mocha intensified to turn into “very harmful” on Friday, the World Meteorological Group (WMO) mentioned, warning of violent winds, floods and doable landslides in Bangladesh that might hit the world’s largest refugee camp.
The WMO’s Clare Nullis instructed a Geneva press briefing {that a} storm surge of 2-2.5 meters over the weekend was more likely to inundate low-lying areas of North Myanmar in addition to elements of Bangladesh the place flash floods and landslides have been additionally doable.
“It is a very harmful cyclone and…it is related to violent winds,” she mentioned. “There will likely be main impacts each forward and after landfall for doubtlessly a whole lot of 1000’s of the world’s most weak individuals,” she added.
The cyclone is presently set to make landfall in Bangladesh on Sunday. Whereas a direct hit is just not anticipated, the storm’s path is ready to have an effect on Bangladesh’s southeastern border district of Cox’s Bazar the place one million Rohingya refugees dwell.
Most of them fled there after a military-led crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar in 2017.
U.N. refugee company spokesperson Olga Sarrado mentioned preparations have been underway for a partial evacuation of the camp, if wanted. The company was additionally making ready tens of 1000’s of sizzling meals and jerrycans, she mentioned.
The World Well being Group mentioned it was pre-positioning some 33 cellular medical groups, 40 ambulances in addition to emergency surgical procedure and cholera kits for the camp.
In Myanmar, the WHO was pre-positioning 500,000 water purification tablets amongst different provides which quantity to the complete monsoon season shares.
“If this turns into the extent of cyclone we concern, we actually should be prepared,” the WHO’s Margaret Harris instructed the briefing.