Severe cyclonic storm ‘Mocha’ is headed towards Cox’s Bazar, the southern most part of Bangladesh, to make landfall this Sunday, May 14. There is great concern for the people living in this region, especially for the highly vulnerable Rohingya refugee community. It is anticipated that ‘Mocha’ will be the highest-impact cyclone in the area since the Rohingya refugee influx in 2017.
Ramesh Singh, Country Director for CARE Bangladesh, shared his concern stating “The Rohingya refugees reside in temporary shelters. Seasonal monsoons are already tough for them due to their fragile living conditions. A severe cyclone can lead to large-scale devastation and possibly another humanitarian crisis – where women and girls are at the highest risk. CARE Bangladesh is on high alert, monitoring every development of the cyclone; staff and volunteers are mobilized for evacuation and emergency response. If the cyclone hits the area with high intensity, a highly concerted effort among Government, UN Agencies and I/NGOs will be needed for recovery.”
“After the announcements from CARE about cyclone Mocha, we have begun harvesting our crops in fields as per government advisory,” shared Md. Sultan Khalifa, a host community program participant, who has sown different grains and crops.
Aside from programs in the Rohingya refugee camps, CARE also implements several host community projects in Cox’s Bazar region. Emergency evacuation and mitigation messages are being disseminated at all levels. Elaborate preparedness measures have been coordinated with local government agencies, partners, and community-level volunteers.
CARE co-leads the national-level Needs Assessment Working Group (NAWG) which plays a key role in the coordination of the preparedness and response amongst government, UN HCTT, and partners.
For media inquiries, please contact Nusrat Daud Pritha , Team Leader - Strategic Communications Unit, CARE Bangladesh via: [email protected]/ +88 01711731055.