Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel and Guest House Owners Association has declared 55 hotels, motels and resorts as shelters to provide safe refuge to the people of the coastal region.
Cox's Bazar Hotel, Motel and Guest House Owners Association President Md Abul Kasem said: "Considering the calamity in Cox's Bazar, we have declared 55 hotels, motels, and guest houses as shelters. Because of this initiative, at least 50,000 people will be able to take shelter."
Earlier, Cox's Bazar district administration declared all the hotels, motels and resorts of Saint Martin Island as shelters.
Additional Cox's Bazar District Magistrate Md Abu Sufian said: "Since the cyclone is headed towards Cox's Bazar, locals of Saint Martin's Island along with Cox's Bazar are at risk. That is why the Cox's Bazar district administration has declared all the hotels, motels and resorts in Saint Martin's Island as shelters. At the same time, people from the other districts have already been evacuated."
He also added: "As soon as the signal of Cyclone Mocha increased to 10, the people in danger have been evacuated by miking in the coastal areas of the district."
According to Cox's Bazar district administration control room, 7,000 volunteers have been kept ready to avoid possible risks in dealing with the cyclone.
One control room has been opened in each upazila. Some 9 medical teams have been formed. 159 metric tons of rice, 6.9 metric tons of dry food, 20,000 packets of saline, 40,000 water purification tablets and 19,000 cash have been stored. At the same time, 576 shelters have been kept ready.
