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Around 4.0 million people in the coastal regions of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar are living amid high risks of disaster for want of adequate number of cyclone shelters.
Meanwhile, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar district administrations have taken all-out precautionary measures to save the people from the onslaught of the approaching cyclone 'Mocha'.
The administrations have already opened round-the-clock control rooms.
The office of the deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar district said the district administrations already took steps to shift the people from the offshore islands including Kutubdia, Moheshkhali and Saint Martin to safer places.
Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakruzzaman, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Chattogram, said, "We've taken steps to save lives during Mocha. We are prepared for saving lives and assets. We've sent reliefs to the UNOs of the upazilas in the coastal area. The district administration has taken all-out measures for facing cyclone Mocha."
Sources said many of the cyclone shelters are being used as schools.
The keys of the said schools are kept in the custody of the headmasters.
As a result, people of the coastal areas have to face difficulties in collecting the keys from the school chiefs.
If any natural disaster or cyclone attacks, most of the people in the coastal areas of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar cannot take refuge in the existing cyclone shelters for lack of accommodation.
According to sources, there are 880 cyclone shelters in the two districts-- 418 in Chattogram and 462 in Cox's Bazar-which cannot accommodate over 4.0 million people of the low-lying coastal areas.
The people of Anwara, Banshkhali, Sitakunda, Mirsharai and Swandip in Chattogram district; Patenga, Halishahar and riverside areas in Chattogram city; offshore island Saint Martin, Moheshkhali, Kutubdia, Mongnama, Pakua, Teknaf and seaside areas of Cox's Bazar city are living in high risks of natural disasters like tornado, cyclone etc.
Sources said there are 62 cyclone shelters in offshore island Swandip, 58 in Anwara upazila and 117 in Banshkhali upazila.
Besides, there are 59 cyclone shelters-cum-schools in Sitakunda, 13 in Patiya, 75 in Mirsharai, eight in Boalkhali, five in Chandanaish, three in Satkania, three in Rangunia, two in Fatikchhari and two in Raozan.
Moreover, there are 72 cyclone shelters-cum-schools in the city with capacity of 52,700 people.