Extremely Severe Tropical Cyclone Mocha Strikes Myanmar and Bangladesh, Satellite Image Captured by NASA

A satellite from NASA captured an image of Category 5 Cyclone Mocha on its way to Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the agency's Aqua satellite snapped the image on May 14 before it made landfall.

Cyclone Mocha formed over the Southeast Bay of Bengal and moved north-northeastwards. As it traveled across the warm waters, it gained more energy and power until it intensified into an extremely severe cyclone.

Destruction of Myanmar and Bangladesh Coasts

The Meteorological Department in Myanmar confirmed that the cyclone traveled 175 miles per hour over the water and 130 mph upon landfall. On May 14, the authorities from Bangladesh predicted that it is likely to cross Rakhine State in Myanmar and the largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. However, the meteorological report on May 16 confirms that the cyclone missed Cox's Bazar and hit the port city of Sittwe in Rakhine.

In Myanmar, the cyclone resulted in widespread destruction in the country. It caused the collapse of hundreds of homes and shelters and severe damage to telecommunication. Infrastructure also got demolished, and buildings got destroyed.

Locals told the media that at least 40 people were found dead, but this death toll is expected to rise further. According to BBC News, Cyclone Mocha is considered one of the strongest storms that made landfall in Myanmar this century.

In Bangladesh, the authorities have reported no significant damage, as 750 000 people were evacuated before the storm. However, it caused the flimsy homes in Rohingya displacement camps to get scattered. Storm surges reaching up to 5 feet in low-lying areas were also formed.

Despite the reported casualties in both countries, authorities believe that better forecasting and more practical evacuation planning strategies helped reduce the number of reported deaths.

What is a Cyclone?

Cyclone is one of the most dangerous natural disasters in the world. It is a fast-rotating storm characterized by a low-pressure center and spiraling clouds. They are the same as hurricanes and typhoons but are named based on their origin. Storms that develop over the waters of the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and Eastern North Pacific are called hurricanes. If they are formed over the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, they are named cyclones. On the other hand, typhoons form over the waters of the Northwest Pacific.

Tropical storms are low pressures that develop from warm tropical waters. They usually develop if the sea's surface temperature is above 26.5 degrees Celsius.

The World Economic Forum reports that tropical cyclones have strengthened in the past decade, particularly in East and Southeast Asian countries. Due to the continuous heating of the oceans, tropical cyclones are likely to double their impact on the Asian regions in the future. High-resolution model projections show that the climate crisis is influencing the formation and destruction of tropical cyclones. With the intensified strength during landfall, a cyclone will likely extend the distance it will travel and will intensify its destructive power.