Myanmar and Bangladesh evacuated thousands of people from coastal areas as Cyclone Mahasen increased in strength offshore, authorities and news reports said Wednesday. Myanmar said it evacuated 166,644 people in its Rakhine State, including 27,341 refugees from last year's sectarian fighting. Over the border in Bangladesh, low-lying areas and islands in the Bay of Bengal were being evacuated and transport operations suspended. Not all the 4.7 million people in the vulnerable areas would be evacuated, Mohammad Abdullah, division commissioner of the south-eastern region of Chittagong, told dpa by phone. "But, we feel those living in the remote places should be brought to safer places at this moment," the official said. At least 15,000 people had been told to leave their homes in the port city of Cox's Bazar, 400 kilometres south-east of Dhaka, the Daily Star quoted the city's deputy commissioner Mohammed Ruhul Amin as telling reporters. Operations were also stopped at two airports and a port. "We have asked for the suspension of all flights to and from Shah Amanat International Airport from 4 pm (1000 GMT) and are trying to remove airport equipment to safer places," said Mahfuzul Alam, the acting manager of the airport at Chittagong. The cyclone, was intensifying 760 kilometres offshore, and expected to hit early Thursday, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said.
