DHAKA, May 13, 2023 (BSS) - Bangladesh Navy has taken all-out preparations to operate post-disaster emergency rescue and relief operations and encourage the coastal area people to move to shelter centres as the very severe cyclone 'Mocha' is approaching with higher intensity towards Bangladesh coasts.

"To tackle the cyclone 'Mocha', Navy members are making the residents of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and St. Martin coastal areas to move to shelter centres. Besides, 21 Navy ships, helicopters and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) are ready to conduct post-disaster emergency rescue and relief operations," said an ISPR press release here this afternoon. 

The ships have already been prepared with relief materials to conduct emergency rescue operations and provide relief and medical assistance to the sea and coastal area people as soon as possible after the cyclone make the landfall, it said, adding that in addition, naval contingents have been kept ready for post-cyclone deployment in the affected coastal areas.

According to the release, MPAs and helicopters of the Navy will conduct search and rescue operations in the sea and coastal areas after the cyclone while ships and contingents will conduct search and rescue operations in the Bay of Bengal based on information provided by the MPA and helicopters. 

In the first phase, BNS Somudra Joy and Dhaleswari will conduct the operations in Cox's Bazar, St. Martin and Teknaf areas while BNS Shapla in Qutubdia and outer anchorage areas, BNS Hatia and LCT 103 in Sandwip and adjacent areas of Hatia, LCVP 11 in Patuakhali area and LCT 105in Pirojpur and Barguna areas will conduct the operations.

Besides, BNSs Shaibal, Bangabandhu, Prottoy, Shadhinota, Prottasha and Nirmul have been kept ready at Mongla in Khulna for conducting emergency search and rescue operations. 

BNSs Aparajeya, Atandra, Surabhi, Adomya and Padma have been kept ready in Pagla of Narayanganj.

Special medical teams will provide free emergency medical services and assistance with life-saving medicines, oral saline and other materials in affected areas after the cyclone.

More ships and contingents of the Navy will be deployed in the second phase after monitoring the intensity of the storm and the incidence of injuries.

Earlier, the met office in a special bulletin this afternoon asked maritime port of Cox's Bazar to hoist great danger signal number 10 and Mongla and Payra ports to hoist great danger signal number 8, and the Mongla Port to keep hoisted local warning signal number 4.

It said the very severe cyclonic storm 'Mocha' over east central Bay and adjoining area is likely to intensify further and move in a north-northwesterly direction and cross Cox's Bazar-Myanmar's north coast by 6 pm tomorrow.

Cox's Bazar and adjoining coastal areas will experience the peripheral effect of the very severe cyclonic storm by this evening, the met office said.