Cyclone Mocha: NDRF on high alert in West Bengal's Digha & Mandarmani as sea turns choppy

As Cyclone 'Mocha' made landfall along the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, Disaster Management Force personnel are keeping a watch on the sea resort towns of West Bengal while preventing tourists from going to the beach on Sunday. 

Disaster Management Force personnel were on high alert in the coastal areas of Digha and Mandarmani in Purba Medinipur district and Bakkhali and Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas districts.

Seven groups of NDRF personnel including divers were deployed in Digha-Mandarmani coastal areas as the sea turned choppy. Over 100 state disaster management group personnel have also been engaged in Bakkhali sea beach in South 24 Parganas district to keep an eye on the movement of tourists.

“We are not allowing tourists to move closer to the sea which has turned choppy,” Bikash Sadhu, NDRF team member said.

Ferocious Cyclone Mocha makes landfall in Myanmar and Bangladesh

Super cyclone Mocha made landfall along the Myanmar-Bangladesh coasts on Sunday after intensifying into the equivalent of a category-five storm, a senior Met official said.  

The powerful made landfall shortly after midday on the Teknaf shorelines before making its way through the Naf River that divides Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“The ‘eye’ or the centre point of the cyclone made its landfall shortly after midday today on the Teknaf shorelines, coming through the Naf River, ahead of its anticipated time,” Bangladesh Met office spokesman AKM Nazmul Huda told media persons.