Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 16th May. UN Office of Humanitarian and aid coordination in Myanmar on Monday reported that cyclone Mocha was one of the strongest cyclones to hit Myanmar, which left a “trail of devastation” as it moved overland from the Bay of Bengal in the city of Sittwe, capital of Rakhine State.
OCHA said that communities had spent the day cleaning up, and counted the cost of the storm, categorized as Extremely Severe, when it smashed into Myanmar’s western states and regions on Sunday, with guests as strong as 250km per hour continued to lash some areas with heavy rain.
The authorities and humanitarian aid agencies had launched a massive evacuation plan before the storm crashed ashore north of Sittwe, OCHA Asaid.
According to OCHA, humanitarian needs in Rakhine state and northwest Myanmar were dire before the cyclone hit with 6 million people in need of relief aid as a result of years of conflict and displacement.
Some thousands of Rohingya are living in temporary shelters where their movements are restricted by the military regime declared the whole of Rakhine a disaster area in the wake of Mocha.
The reports indicated that the worst of the cyclone spared the major Rohingya refugee camp complex of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, which is home to one millionRohingya refugees, the majority of whom fled persecution and violence in Rakhine in the summer of 2017.
The news reports indicated that not as dire as predicted, there were still several killed in Myanmar, and hundreds of thousands of Rohingya left homeless.
OCHA said there was widespread destruction across Sittwe, with few houses left standing. Many of the flimsy bamboo longhouses in displacement camps were wrecked.
The agency’s situation report said “Communications with teams on the ground are still limited but early reports suggest the damage is significant, particularly in Rakhine, and that needs across all communities will be high”.
“Extremely strong winds brought down power lines, uprooted trees, and damaged and destroyed houses. Storm surge knocked out bridges and inundated homes.”
Health, relief items, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene needs are being reported, with the deadly threat of landmines in the conflict-affected rural areas, having shifted during flooding, OCHA said.
It stressed that communications with partners on the ground was partially restored during the day but still remains limited after extensive damage to telecommunications towers.
OCHA reported that water and power services have been badly interrupted all day with generators now the primary source of electricity for most people due to downed lines.
Humanitarian partners are working to start rapid needs assessments in the field on Tuesday, to confirm the magnitude of impact from the cyclone and the immediate assistance that is required, OCHA said.
There were reports of widespread flooding and needs in the northwest an area that is heavily conflict-affected
OCHA said an urgent injection of funds to assist recovery was “desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impact of the cyclone and subsequent flooding.” To date, only 10 per cent funded.
Some IDPs are staying in cyclone shelters near displacement camps, with some reports of injuries and needs for medical treatment. Those staying in temporary shelters, such as schools, require assistance.
OCHA saoid that movement is challenging and debris clearance is ongoing. Heavy traffic was reported during the day due to large numbers of people returning to their Sittwe homes from inland areas, combined with debris on the roads.
The news reports suggested that 3,000 Rohingya shelters were damaged during the passage of Mocha, with some completely destroyed.
The country’s refugee commissioner’s reported damage to 32 learning centres, and 29 mosques.
OCHA added that in the refugee camps 120 landslides reported, and 5,300 refugees were relocated to more secure locations.
Bangladeshi Government said over 250,000 were in need of food and shelter across the region overall by Sunday night.
The authorities in Bangladesh had evacuated some 750,000 people ahead of the storm, OCHA concluded..
