Mocha likely to make landfall between 12 noon and 3pm

Cyclone Mocha, classes as a severe cyclonic storm, is likely to make landfall between 12 noon and 3:00pm today, the Met office said.

The wind speed during landfall is expected to be more than 100 kilometres per hour. When the storm hits the coast at night, its speed towards land was 22 kmph.

According to experts, if the wind speed slows down, it will cross the land around 4:00pm, and the tidal surge can exceed 12 feet.

Mohammad Azizur Rahman, director of the Meteorological Department, told the media this morning that effects of Mokha started hitting the coast around 3:00am today.

"So far, the wind speed is 195 km per hour, while gusts and squalls outside the centre are increasing to 215 kmph," he said.

He said when effects of the rain lashed the coast early this morning, the eye of the cyclone was approaching the coast at 22 kmph. Later, the speed came down to 17 kmph.

"Moving at this pace, it will cross the coast by this afternoon," he said.

Azizur Rahman said, "The main storm will cross between 12 noon and 3:00 pm. At that time, there will be heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds. This will be a risky time for St Martin's and Teknaf."