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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Cyclone Mahasen threatens Bangladesh | Cyclone Mahasen threatens Bangladesh |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of people are being evacuated from coastal areas of Bangladesh threatened by Cyclone Mahasen. | Hundreds of thousands of people are being evacuated from coastal areas of Bangladesh threatened by Cyclone Mahasen. |
| The Bangladeshi authorities have raised the danger level to seven out of 10 for low-lying areas around Chittagong and the coastal district of Cox's Bazar. | The Bangladeshi authorities have raised the danger level to seven out of 10 for low-lying areas around Chittagong and the coastal district of Cox's Bazar. |
| It is predicted that the cyclone, heading north-east through the Bay of Bengal, will reach land on Thursday. | |
| Burma is also threatened and evacuation efforts are under way there. | Burma is also threatened and evacuation efforts are under way there. |
| Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in camps in low-lying areas of Burma's Rakhine state are feared to be at risk. | Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in camps in low-lying areas of Burma's Rakhine state are feared to be at risk. |
| They were displaced by ethnic violence last year and many are reluctant to move from the camps. | They were displaced by ethnic violence last year and many are reluctant to move from the camps. |
| Hla Maung said he lost his mother and two young daughters during the clashes between Muslims and Buddhists. | Hla Maung said he lost his mother and two young daughters during the clashes between Muslims and Buddhists. |
| "I lost everything ... I don't want to go anywhere. I'll stay here. If I die, I want to die here," he said. | "I lost everything ... I don't want to go anywhere. I'll stay here. If I die, I want to die here," he said. |
| Kirsten Mildren, from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), told the BBC that the Rakhine state government said it had moved some 36,000 displaced people from camps. | Kirsten Mildren, from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), told the BBC that the Rakhine state government said it had moved some 36,000 displaced people from camps. |
| But she said the evacuation was "not moving as fast as we'd like - it's certainly a race against time... we're finding it very difficult to convince [people] to move to higher ground or safer buildings". | But she said the evacuation was "not moving as fast as we'd like - it's certainly a race against time... we're finding it very difficult to convince [people] to move to higher ground or safer buildings". |
| The country's National Planning Minister, Tin Naing Thein, claimed that in all more than 166,000 people had been relocated, but there was little evidence of a mass evacuation in reports from the affected area. | The country's National Planning Minister, Tin Naing Thein, claimed that in all more than 166,000 people had been relocated, but there was little evidence of a mass evacuation in reports from the affected area. |
| Correspondents say the Burmese evacuations are seen as a test of the government's resolve to assist the Rohingya, amid allegations that state forces stood by or even participated in last year's anti-Muslim violence. | Correspondents say the Burmese evacuations are seen as a test of the government's resolve to assist the Rohingya, amid allegations that state forces stood by or even participated in last year's anti-Muslim violence. |
| On Tuesday, President Thein Sein was quoted as urging officials to "carry out relief work on humanitarian grounds for all, regardless of race and religion", at a meeting to co-ordinate relief efforts for Cyclone Mahasen. | On Tuesday, President Thein Sein was quoted as urging officials to "carry out relief work on humanitarian grounds for all, regardless of race and religion", at a meeting to co-ordinate relief efforts for Cyclone Mahasen. |
| 'Life-threatening' | 'Life-threatening' |
| The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the storm could create a surge 2m (6.5ft) high in coastal districts and residents are being urged to make for cyclone shelters. | The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the storm could create a surge 2m (6.5ft) high in coastal districts and residents are being urged to make for cyclone shelters. |
| The airports in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong have been shut until the danger subsides. | The airports in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong have been shut until the danger subsides. |
| The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Cyclone Mahasen appeared to have weakened to a Category One storm. | The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Cyclone Mahasen appeared to have weakened to a Category One storm. |
| But the UN still described it as "life-threatening" for 8.2 million people in Bangladesh, Burma and north-east India. | But the UN still described it as "life-threatening" for 8.2 million people in Bangladesh, Burma and north-east India. |
| Though the storm did not make landfall in Sri Lanka, the associated heavy rain caused floods and mudslides which killed at least seven people, according to the country's Disaster Management Centre. | |
| At least 50 Rohingya Muslims were feared drowned on Tuesday when boats evacuating them from the path of the cyclone capsized off western Burma. | At least 50 Rohingya Muslims were feared drowned on Tuesday when boats evacuating them from the path of the cyclone capsized off western Burma. |
| More than 100,000 people died in 2008 when Cyclone Nargis devastated many of Burma's coastal villages. | More than 100,000 people died in 2008 when Cyclone Nargis devastated many of Burma's coastal villages. |