Great danger signal No 10 issued for Cox’s Bazar maritime port as cyclone Mocha approaches

Cyclone Mocha likely to cross Cox’s Bazar-Myanmar’s north coast by Sunday evening
The maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been asked to hoist the great danger signal 10 as very severe cyclonic storm Mocha over east central Bay and adjoining area moved North-Northeastwards over the same area.Besides, the maritime port of Chattogram has been advised to hoist great danger signal 8 while maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local warning signal 4.

On Saturday morning it was centered about 815 km south-southwest of Chattogram port, 745 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 785 km south of Mongla port and 745 km south of Payra port, said the latest Met Office bulletin.It is likely to intensify further, move in a north-northwesterly direction and cross Cox’s Bazar-North Myanmar’s coast between 6 am to 6 pm on Sunday (May 14).

Coastal reasons of Chattogram and Barishal divisions will experience the peripheral effect of the very severe cyclonic storm by Saturday night, said the bulletin. Maximum sustained wind speed within 74 km of the very severe cyclone centre is about 160 kph, rising to 175 kph, in gusts or squalls. The sea will remain very rough near the storm center.

The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, and Bhola and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal no 8.Under the peripheral effect of the very cyclone and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram and their offshore island and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind-driven surge height of 8-12 feet above normal astronomical tide.The low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, and Bhola and their offshore island and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind-driven surge height of 5-7 feet above normal astronomical tide.Under the effect of the very severe cyclone, Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal divisions are likely to experienceheavy to very heavy rainfall. Due to very heavy rainfall landslides may occur in places over the hilly regions of Cox’s Bazar, Bandarbans, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Chattogram.All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.

Eight Community radio stations in the coastal belt, have started broadcasting as protection of Cyclone Mocha (or Mokha) may hit Bangladesh’s coast as the tropical storm has been forming in the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas.

Information is being provided to the community regarding preparedness for the most vulnerable group of people and, crops and assets as well. The stations broadcast information about Cyclone shelters and other disaster response facilities in the locality. All the community radio had been providing weather updates since 11 May 2023.

The stations are maintaining full-time liaison with the disaster monitoring cells and disaster control room at District and Upazila levels, to get the latest update on the weather situation due to the cyclone `Mocha’. They are also keeping contact with Red Crescent members, Scouts, and disaster volunteers at local levels. Besides, the members of Radio Listener Clubs are doing awareness-raising campaigns regarding preparedness within their community, neighbors, and relatives. Each Community radio station has deployed 2-3 expert broadcasters to be responsible for continuously communicating with Upazila and District Disaster Management Committee.

With the Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Community radio stations are broadcasting special bulletin updates from Bangladesh Meteorological Department related to Cyclone `Sitrang’. Radio broadcasting will continue till the end of the emergency situation.

The community radio stations have had active representation in information shared through radio broadcasting and mobile phone with the radio listeners club, who are representing their own locality. And broadcasting, News, Public Service Announcements (PSA), with disaster-related issues.

The community radio stations in the coastal zone namely Community Radio Nalta 99.2 (Kaliganj, Satkhira), Community Radio Lokobetar 99.2 (Barguna Sadar), Community Rural Radio: Krishi Radio 98.2(Amtali, Barguna), Community Radio Meghna 99.00 (Charfasion, Bhola Island), Community Radio SagorDwip 99.2 ( Hatia, Noakhali ), Community Radio Naf 99.2 (Tekhnaf, Cox’s Bazar) and Community Radio Sagargiri 99.2 (Sitakunda, Chittagong), and Community Radio Saikat 99.0FM (Cox’s Bazar). The radio stations have their preparation to keep their stations on-air for 24 hours. Generators and fuels are reserved for alternative power supply due to disruption in the notational power supply grid and hamper the broadcasting.
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is maintaining full-time contact and coordination with the coastal community radio stations. The contact points for the coastal community radio stations are;

Mr. Sanjoy Chowdhury, Station Manager, Community Radio Sagar Giri, SitakundaUpazila, Chittagong, Phone: +88 01825441666, E Mail: [email protected]

Mr. SiddiqurHossain, Station Manager In-charge, Community Radio Naf, (TekhnafUpazila, Cox’s Bazar) Phone: +88 01716 53 00 58, E-Mail: [email protected]

Ms. Anika TasnimTaposh, Program Produce, Community Radio Saikat , (Cox’s Bazar), Phone: +88 01713367418, E-Mail: [email protected]

Md. Md Rasel, Station Manager, Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio, AmtaliUpazila, Barguna, Phone: +88 01752606853, E-Mail: [email protected]

Ms. Mowshumi Das, Assistant Station Manager(Program), Community Radio Meghna, CharfasionUpazila, Bhola Island, Phone: +88 01773 092 716 E-Mail: [email protected]
Ms, Papia Sultana, Station In-charge, Community Radio SagorDwip, HatiaUpazila, Noakhali, Phone:+88 01721176281 E-Mail: [email protected]

Mr. Monir Hossain Kamal, Station Manager, Community Radio Lokobetar ,Barguna Sadar, Phone: +88 01716 32 71 51 E-Mail: [email protected]

Mr. Selim Sharier, Station Manager, Community Radio Nalta, Kaliganj,
Satkhira,Phone: +88 01713902783 E-Mail: [email protected]

BNNRC Control Room
BNNRC opened a control room on 13 May 2023
Mr. Hiren Pandit, Disaster Control Room In-charge of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), Dhaka.
Phone: +8801726311101,
[email protected], [email protected]