May 14, 2023
1 min read

As Cyclone Mocha nears Myanmar, Bangladesh, thousands evacuated

Around six million people in the storm’s projected path in Rakhine and the three northwesterly states of Chin, Magway, and Sagaing already required humanitarian aid…reports Asian Lite News

Ahead of Cyclone Mocha which is predicted to make landfall on Sunday (May 14) with gusts of up to 175 km/h (108 mph), thousands of people have been getting ready to get evacuated from the region, Al Jazeera reported.

Currently, the storm is heading north while still in the Bay of Bengal. It is anticipated to travel down the coastline between Sittwe in the Rakhine state of northwest Myanmar and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. “This is the first cyclone to threaten Myanmar this Monsoon season and there are grave concerns about the impact especially on already vulnerable and displaced communities,” Al Jazeera reported citing the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on Friday.

According to the report, more than 230,000 Rakhine residents reside in displaced persons’ camps that are “located in low-lying coastal areas susceptible to storm surge.”

According to UNOCHA, around six million people in the storm’s projected path in Rakhine and the three northwesterly states of Chin, Magway, and Sagaing already required humanitarian aid.

Authorities have issued warnings about the risks of flooding, landslides, and a storm surge of 2 to 2.7 metres (6.6 to 8.9 feet) in height.

In February 2021, the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, sending Myanmar into a state of instability. The People’s Defence Forces (PDF), a coalition of armed military and civilian organisations, have been engaged in fierce combat in many of the regions the storm is currently threatening, reported Al Jazeera.

Armed forces’ aerial bombardment and arson attacks have already forced many from their homes.

Similar strategies were employed by the army in Rakhine in 2017 to drive hundreds of thousands of primarily Muslim Rohingya across the border into Bangladesh, where they are still residing in sizable refugee camps today. (ANI)

ALSO READ: US, China top officials hold ‘candid’ talks in Vienna meeting

Previous Story

China’s new bank loans tumble more than expected in April

Next Story

Myanmar town records highest single-day rainfall in nearly 60 yrs

Latest from -Top News

India opens world’s highest rail bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir and flagged off the much-awaited Vande Bharat Express to Srinagar, marking a historic moment

Sisi, MBZ cement ties

UAE and Egypt bolster ties through high-level talks in Abu Dhabi and a landmark cardiac care initiative delivering lifesaving treatment to rural communities The United Arab Emirates and Egypt reaffirmed their strong

‘UAE leads global fight against plastic waste’

UAE accelerates its fight against plastic pollution with a bold single-use plastic ban and expanded environmental policies to safeguard natural ecosystems for future generations The United Arab Emirates continues to lead the

70,000 Gaza kids starve

WFP warned that any further escalation of conflict could paralyse relief operations altogether, deepening the plight of civilians—especially children, the elderly, and vulnerable groups As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies, the

Prayers on the Mount

The Day of Arafat, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage, witnessed a congregation of believers from around the world As the sun blazed overhead and temperatures climbed to a sweltering 41°C,
Go toTop

Don't Miss

150 people killed in Bangladesh violence

This was the first time the government officially acknowledged the

Protests erupt against China on National Day

The BBSS Welfare Association organised a bicycle rally in solidarity