Cyclone Mocha coded brown stage has started passing through near the town of Sittwe at a wind speed of over 130 miles per hour, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology. 

According to the observations at 9.30 am today, the extremely severe cyclonic storm “Mocha” over Northeast Bay and adjoining East Central Bay of Bengal has moved northeastwards and centered at about 100 nautical miles Southwest of Sittwe, 115 nautical miles West-Southwest of Kyaukpyu, and 240 nautical miles Northwest of Hainggyigyun (Myanmar).

The centre pressure of cyclone Mocha is 938 hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is 130-137 miles per hour, the DMH reported.

During next 36 hours forecast, the cyclone is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost banding features of cyclonic storm is crossing Rakhine Coast, the centre of cyclonic storm will forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around afternoon of today as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “Mocha”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Mocha”.

The wind speed of cyclone Mocha is higher than that of cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar in 2008. Its wind speed was only 130 mph at that time.