Cyclone Mocha is strengthening in the Bay of Bengal and heading toward the world’s largest refugee camp

(CNN) — A tropical cyclone is strengthening in the Bay of Bengal and is on track to hit western Myanmar and Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, the place round 1 million folks reside in flimsy shelters in what many contemplate to be the world’s largest refugee camp.

Cyclone Mocha is the first to type in the Bay this yr and is anticipated to strengthen additional earlier than making landfall on Sunday, probably in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state, close to the border with Bangladesh.

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Mocha strengthened Friday into the equal of a class 1 Atlantic hurricane and is transferring north at 11 kilometers per hour (7 miles per hour).

The storm’s winds may peak at 220 kph (137 mph) – equal to a class 4 Atlantic hurricane – simply earlier than making landfall on Sunday morning, the company stated.

India’s Meteorological Department stated Friday Mocha had intensified into a really extreme cyclonic storm and warned fishermen and trawlers in opposition to crusing far into the Bay over the coming days.

The company forecast a storm surge of as much as 2.5 meters (8.2 toes) was more likely to inundate low-lying coastal areas in the path of the cyclone at the time of landfall.

In Bangladesh, that features Cox’s Bazar, dwelling to members of the stateless Rohingya community who fled persecution in close by Myanmar throughout a navy crackdown in 2017. Many reside in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters perched on hilly slopes which can be susceptible to sturdy winds, rain, and landslides.

There are additionally considerations for a whole bunch of Rohingya refugees housed on an remoted and flood-prone island facility in the Bay of Bengal, known as Bhasan Char.

Ahead of Mocha’s anticipated landfall, assist businesses are ramping up their emergency preparedness and response with native and refugee communities.

The UN refugee company in Bangladesh stated in a tweet that “emergency preparations in the camps and on Bhasan Char are underway” in coordination with the authorities and native assist businesses.

“In preparation of cyclones, hundreds of Rohingya refugee volunteers have been trained on identifying risks, informing their communities, evacuating people when needed and responding after disaster strikes,” the UNHCR said in a tweet.

In neighboring Myanmar, residents in coastal areas of Rakhine state and Ayeyarwady area have started to evacuate their houses and search shelter forward of the cyclone’s anticipated landfall, according to native unbiased media Myanmar Now.

The ruling Myanmar junta has issued cyclone warnings and claimed to be taking precautionary measures akin to readying catastrophe administration committees to answer a possible catastrophe, in accordance with state media Global New Light of Myanmar.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center stated widespread flooding, landslides and high wind gusts are anticipated round the space of landfall and throughout Myanmar’s inside.

The final named tropical cyclone to make landfall in Myanmar was Maarutha in April, 2017. Though Maarutha was the equal of a tropical storm at landfall, with most winds of 92 kph (58 mph), it introduced heavy rains and broken practically 100 houses.

In October 2010, Tropical Cyclone Giri was the final storm to make landfall with hurricane-force winds. It made landfall as a high-end Category 4 equal storm with most winds of 250 kph (155 mph).

Giri precipitated over 150 fatalities and roughly 70% of the metropolis of Kyaukphyu, in Rakhine state, was destroyed. According to the United Nations, roughly 15,000 houses had been destroyed in the state throughout the storm.

The worst pure catastrophe to hit Myanmar was Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, killing 140,000 folks, severely affecting 2.4 million and leaving 800,000 displaced, assist businesses stated.