As the very severe cyclonic storm Mocha was intensifying, residents of Cox's Bazar's Rohingya camps were taking shelter on the roofs to protect their homes from the destruction of the cyclone on Sunday.
Of the camps, people at Kutupalong and Camp No 15 were particularly scared of their homes getting wiped off in the cyclone.
As a result, they were settling on the roofs along with their family to offer extra protection on their roofs and protect their valuables from looting amid the disaster.
That is why the camp dwellers were not interested in moving to the shelters prepared for them amid the cyclone to protect their homes.
Although many Rohingyas people of Kutupalong camp climbed on the roof of the house, they were not safe from the cyclone's wrath. Due to the speed of the wind, some trees have fallen there. The tin sheds of some houses were broken or blown away by the wind.
Abdul Monak, 22, Kutupalong camp, said: “It doesn't seem safe for us to stay on the roof now. The wind speed is very high, the storm is getting stronger. That's why, no one dares to leave the house. However, no family has gone to the shelter centre – schools, madrasa, mosque, and CIC office building – yet.”
Dhaka TribuneHe added: “However, the disabled people who were in the nearby houses were taken to the shelter. A few houses were damaged by the strong winds.”
Fatema Begum, 30, has five children. She lives in a mud house with her husband at Camp East 1. Her house is not semi-pucca, so she is afraid that if the storm gets stronger, her house may collapse.
She said if the other people in the camp went to the shelter, her family would too. But if the situation is not too bad, she will stay in her house, because there is a possibility of robbery if she leaves the house.
Nur Islam, 75, said: “There are more than 20 people in my family including sons, daughters, and grandchildren. Trees are falling outside so many of them might get injured if they try to go to the shelter centre. So, we are staying inside and trying to assess the situation. If necessary, we will take position on the roof of the house.”
A disabled child at Kutupalong registered camp being taken to a shelter for safety Dhaka TribuneWazear Rahman, Armed Police Battalion (APBn) operation officer at Kutupalong Rohingya camp, told Dhaka Tribune: “We found that trees were downed by the storm in various places of the camp. Some houses of the Rohingya peoples were affected. Some of its tin shades were blown away while others sustained damages.
“Even where the police barracks are located in the camp, tin shade was broken by the wind. Currently, there is no electricity here. However, we have not received any news of major damage yet. We are not going out without information, but our team is ready. And as far as we know, the people of the camp have not gone to any shelter yet,” he added.