Warning signals on West Bengal's Bakkhali beach as Cyclone Mocha begins to lash Chittagong, Barisal coastal areas

Civil defence officials are urging people to vacate the Bakkhali Sea beach, in West Bengal in the wake of Cyclone Mocha which is expected to make landfall in a couple of hours.

As per the latest bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the peripheral effect of Cyclone Mocha has begun over the coastal areas of Chattorgram and Barishal divisions, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Officials were heard making announcements on Bakkhali beach with the help of mikes amid strong winds. They were heard urging people to vacated the beach as the storm could strike any moment.

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Winds up to 210 km/h

BMD stated that Cyclone Mocha is moving towards the coastal areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar with winds up to 210 km/h.

As per a BMD advisory, the very strong cyclonic storm was located at midnight about 490 kilometres south-southwest of Chattogram port, 410 kilometres south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 530 kilometres south of Mongla port, and 460 kilometres south of Payra port, Dhaka Tribune reported.

The Indian Meteorological Department on Sunday said that Cyclone Mocha will cross southeastern Bangladesh and north Myanmar today with a sustained wind speed of 180-190 km per hour gusting up to 210 km per hour.

Cyclone Giri

Tropical Cyclone Giri, which made landfall in October 2010, was the most recent storm of comparable strength to do so. It made landfall as a high-end Category 4 equivalent storm with maximum winds of 250 kph (155 mph).

Giri resulted in over 150 fatalities and nearly 70 per cent of the city of Kyaukphyu was destroyed. According to the United Nations, roughly 15,000 homes were destroyed in Rakhine state during the storm, CNN reported.