Super cyclonic storm ‘Mora’ battered the country’s coastal districts killing at least seven people and injuring many others on Tuesday morning.
The storm made a landfall around 6am yesterday at a speed of 89 Kph that rose up to 117 Kph in gusts or squalls in Cox’s Bazar district town and within 64 Kms of the cyclone centre.
It later moved towards Chittagong around 7:30am and crossed the coastal areas around 10:30am yesterday.
The coastal districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars came under danger Signal No 10.
Several people were injured after gusty winds damaged houses and shops and uprooted trees and electric poles. Some places were inundated by a storm surge of 4 to 5 feet above normal tide height, officials said.
They said the pre-cautionary measures and evacuation of thousands of people by the District Administration concerned have lessened the casualties and damages
Among the deceased, Rahmatullah, 50, and Sayera Khatun, 50, of East Domkhali and East Borohaula in Dulahajara upazila of Cox’s Bazar, district were killed as trees fell on them during the storm in the morning, M Ali Hossain, Deputy Commissioner, Cox’s Bazar district told journalists.
“Besides, a panicked woman, Mariam Begum, died of heart attack at Nuniachata cyclone centre,” he said, adding that Mora also damaged 20,000 houses and uprooted many trees.
“We could not yet assess the total losses in damages caused by the cyclone,” he said. Meanwhile, a 10-year-old girl, Sahina Akhter, died as a tree fell on her in Islamabad Union of Cox’s Bazar Sadar upazila
In Rangamati, two women were killed in Asambasti and Bedbedi areas of Sadar upazila as tree branches fell on them in the morning, said Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Police Station Abdur Rashid.
A child died in Bhola, one of the most vulnerable districts in the south. The gusty winds and heavy rains in the coastal districts of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, triggered by the landfall of powerful severe cyclonic storm continued for at least 12 hours though the cyclone had weakened. The storm snapped power supply, internet and telephone connections in the hill district.
Now, Kutubdia, Moheshkhali and Teknaf remained completely cut off from road communication, landline phone and power connections.
Three villages – Baroaulia, Dholghat, Purba Gahira – in Anwara and three other villages – Purba Barguna, Pashchim Barguna and Gandamara — in Bashkhali were inundated.
In Cox’s Bazar, two villages were inundated in Moheshkhali upazila and over 1,000 people evacuated and taken to cyclone centre last morning.
Meanwhile, flight operations to and from Chittagong and launch service on 42 routes across the country, which were suspended due to inclement weather caused by cyclone ‘Mora’, resumed on Tuesday afternoon. The authorities resumed the flight operation at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong around 2pm on Tuesday, said Airport’s Manager Wing Commander Reazul Kabir.
He said two flights — one from Kolkata and another from Bangkok — landed at the airport at 3:30pm and 4pm respectively yesterday.
The authorities did not yet resume flight operation at Cox’s Bazar airport as the weather is yet to be normal there, said a staff of flight traffic control at the airport.
Meanwhile, the operation of all the vessels on 42 waterway routes resumed around 3pm yesterday as the weather condition started improving gradually.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority took the decision over vessel movement after a meeting at noon, said Gulzar Hossain, joint director of Dhaka River port.
Earlier, the authorities of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar airports suspended all the flight operations from 11am on Monday and the BIWTA suspended the launch operation from 1pm on Monday as the maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar and five coastal districts were advised to hoist great danger signal No. 10 before cyclone ‘Mora’ hit the coastal belt.
The Met office said that the cyclone has already started to lose strength, but strong winds and heavy rains in Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong continued throughout Tuesday.
Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader told the media in Dhaka that he was informed by the Prime Minister’s office that around 20,000 homes had been damaged in the storm.
Briefing the media at his office, he said a child has been reported missing during the storm.
Quader said that the government has disbursed cash assistance of Tk 18.7 million for the affected areas.
“A navy ship is on its way to the St. Martin’s Island with relief supplies. The Prime Minister has instructed the army and air force to join the relief efforts,” said Quader, also the General Secretary of Awami League. Around 4.68 lakh people of cyclone ‘Mora’ affected areas have been shifted to different shelter centers, Golam Mostafa, Additional Secretary, Disaster Management and Relief Ministry told a press conference at his secretariat office in the city yesterday.
“The detailed estimated cost of damages is yet to known, he said, adding that the local administrations have been asked to prepare the total costs of damages soon,” Golam Mostafa said.
He said the government has already allocated 1,400 tonnes of rice for the cyclone-hit people and Tk 1.46 crore in cash instantly.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRC) has opened a control room to assess the extent of damages caused by cyclone ‘Mora’ which crossed coastal districts of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday. BDRC volunteers have already started their work in the affected areas. It has also kept ready the National Disaster Response Team and Unit Disaster Response Team to help the affected people, said a press release. It said the BDRC National Disaster Response Team has provided Tk 6 lakh to the affected people of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and other coastal areas.
Besides, Tk 5,000 has been allocated to each of 2,821 families pre-registered in Noakhali and Hatia under the Forecast Based Financing project. Mobile water purification kits have also been kept ready to supply safe water to the affected areas, the release added.
Any information related to damages caused by the cyclone will be known from the control room (+ 0088-02-9355995, 01712865152, 01740945846 PABX 9330188, 9330188, 9330189, 9350399 -282).
BDRC Chairman Hafiz Ahmed Mazumdar said BDRC volunteers are working round the clock to extend support to the cyclone victims.
