Cyclones - regional
Individual Documents
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"Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn this afternoon participated in the ceremonial handover of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines’ financial assistance to help Myanmar in its recovery process in dealing with the aftermath of the post-tropical Cyclone Mocha that made landfall in Myanmar in May 2023. The ceremony was held at the ASEAN Secretariat, where both the Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to ASEAN Hjayceelyn M. Quintana and Dr. Kao delivered remarks. Dr. Kao has assumed the role of the Secretary-General of ASEAN as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG-AHAC) to support for recovery activities in Cyclone-affected areas in Myanmar. The contribution of the Government of the Philippines and the roles of SG-AHAC shows that ASEAN stands in solidarity with the affected communities, and reaffirms ASEAN’s commitment to the implementation of the “One ASEAN One Response”, particularly in mobilising greater resources in ensuring ASEAN’s collective response to disasters..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2024-02-06
Date of entry/update:
2024-02-06
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, ASEAN-Burma relations
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"Summary of crisis:
It has been two-and-a-half years since the Myanmar military staged a takeover and established themselves in power, officially as the State Administration Council (SAC). The country has since been in a state of emergency, extended again for six months on 31 July 2023. Mass protests against the armed forces started immediately after the takeover, with a wider, peaceful civil disobedience movement, including the health sector.
The protest grew into organized armed resistance with escalation in fighting across the country. This resulted in massive displacement across Myanmar and an unprecedented political, socioeconomic, human rights and humanitarian crisis for the population. The Emergency Relief Coordinator activated the countrywide health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter/non-food items (NFI), education, food security, nutrition and protection clusters on 21 August 2021.
Twenty-five million people are estimated to be living in poverty because of the political situation and the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. We see a reversal of many of the development gains made in the 2010s and early 2020s.
The conflict continues, escalating across multiple states and regions in Myanmar, particularly in the North-west and the South-east, leaving people displaced and in severe humanitarian needs, with no signs of abating.
The countrywide humanitarian crisis occurred against a backdrop of long-standing communal conflicts in Rakhine,
Kachin and Northern Shan, which had prompted the Emergency Relief Coordinator to activate the health, WASH and shelter/NFI clusters on 15 January 2013 in Rakhine and Kachin. The protracted emergency between Rakhine ethnic groups and self-identified Rohingya populations commenced in June 2012, with acute exacerbation in October 2016 and August 2017. The protracted emergency due to communal conflicts between the Myanmar Military and ethnic armed organizations in Kachin had recurred between mid-2011 and mid-2018, following a 17-year ceasefire. While there were fewer incidents of armed clashes after 2018, these recurred following the 2021 military takeover and continued in 2022 and 2023. The protracted emergency due to communal conflicts between the Myanmar Military and ethnic armed organizations started in Northern Shan in mid-2011, and resulted in massive internal displacements in September 2019, and following the military takeover in June 2021 and December 2022.
Forced military recruitment remains a major concern in Northern Shan.
Already in dire need of humanitarian assistance, an estimated 1.6 million people across five states and regions of Myanmar bore the brunt of the extremely severe Cyclone Mocha, which crossed the coast near Sittwe in Rakhine at mid-day on 14 May 2023. With winds reaching 190–250 km/hour, Mocha was one of the fiercest cyclones the country had ever faced. It brought heavy rains, floods, winds and tidal surge, reaching 5–7 feet, across the coast and low-lying areas in Rakhine. It continued further inland, affecting Chin, Magway, Sagaing and Kachin. The latest field observations show that at least 52 townships have been affected across Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing and Kachin; 135 467 houses, 1452 schools, 315 health facilities and 75 297 latrines have been impacted on the sites of observations. Of the 315 health facilities affected, 151 were situated in villages and 52 at internally displaced persons (IDP) camp/site clinics.
Myanmar occupies the highest rank in the INFORM Risk Index for hazard and exposure, scoring 9.2/10. The country scores 10/10 for hazards and exposure to human conflict, and has a vulnerability score of 5.5/10, with development, deprivation and inequality being the gravest concerns. It has a score of 6.1/10 for lack of coping capacity, which is largely institutional. The country ranks 16th on the INFORM risk list because of high hazard and exposure, vulnerability and lack of coping capacity (ACAPS, 2023).
While the economic condition in the country has stabilized in the first half of 2023, with most indicators suggesting slowly increasing economic activity, the Myanmar economy is still operating well below pre-pandemic levels, in sharp contrast to the rest of the WHO South-East Asia Region. Several factors are constraining the pace of recovery: household incomes remain weak, limiting the ability of domestic demand to drive growth; high prices and shortages resulting from import restrictions make it difficult for many businesses to source essential inputs; power outages have become prominent; and investment remains weak, with new business registrations at a low level. Overall, GDP is projected to increase by 3% by September 2023, still around 10% lower than that in 2019. The absence of a more pronounced rebound is indicative of the severe supply and demand constraints that continue to limit economic activity (World Bank, 2023). Further information about the political, socioeconomic and security context in Myanmar can be found in the Myanmar Humanitarian Need Overview (HNO) 2023- https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/90298
Finally, Myanmar presents unique geographical conditions with 2.9 million people living in 49 townships that are defined as hard-to-reach and hardest-to-reach, according to road accessibility across seasons. Particularly since February 2021, these townships, associated with the conflict-affected ones, are facing large disparities in terms of access to health care, delivery of medicines and medical devices, and referrals to specialized care..."
Source/publisher:
Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2024-01-09
Date of entry/update:
2024-01-09
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"The majority of the population in Myanmar relies on farming as their primary source of livelihood. However, decades of armed conflict, other violence and natural disasters have destroyed farmland and forced people to flee their homes.
Given the protracted consequences, the need for humanitarian assistance in the region is greater than ever before.
Since 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been helping local farmers in Myanmar by giving them seed to grow staple crops, farming tools and organic fertilizers to improve agricultural productivity. We have also been organizing training programmes to build the capacities of the famers and develop sustainable means of livelihood.
"Our teams in Myanmar distributed seed, farm tools and fertilizers to over 92,728 people from January to June 2023."
Kachin State
In Kachin we distributed paddy seed and organic fertilizers to over 1,500 families in Myitkyina, Waingmaw, Hpakant, Mogaung and Mansi townships.
"The past years have been very tough for me and my family. Ensuring that we have enough to eat has not been easy," says U Dan Htawng, a father of four children, who is currently living in a camp for displaced people in Hpakant township. "I believe the ICRC's support will help us get back on our feet this year," he adds.
Rakhine State
Over the past months, our teams in Rakhine distributed paddy and vegetable seeds to 13,884 families who were most affected by Cyclone Mocha and had to rebuild their lives in Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Pauktaw, Minbya, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships.
"My house was damaged by the cyclone. Our crops were also destroyed, and we were concerned about further losses during the planting season," says U Win Maung, a farmer from Yoe Ta Yote village.
Many families also struggled to buy seed because of the rising cost of living. "Now that the ICRC is providing paddy seed in time for the monsoon, we can go back to our farms and start cultivating," says Zakariya, from Myo Thu Gyi village in Maungdaw.
Shan State
"Part of our work in Myanmar involves helping the most vulnerable families to meet their basic nutrition needs during emergency situations and to be able to support themselves in the long term," explains Martin Samtan, an ICRC staff member from Lashio.
During the monsoon when it's time to plant, our team in Lashio distributed paddy seed and groundnuts to over 1,250 families across Kutkai, Lashio, Namtu, Namhkam townships in northern Shan State.
"Through this support, the community will be able to provide for itself and continue farming for a sustainable livelihood." Martin Samtan
Families can now earn an income from their own farms as well as consume better quality food..."
Source/publisher:
International Committee of the Red Cross
Date of publication:
2023-10-17
Date of entry/update:
2023-10-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Flooding in Burma/Myanmar, Agriculture in Burma/Myanmar: general and research, Cyclones - regional
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"Satellite detected water extent as of 10 September 2023, Ayeyarwady and Bago Region
T his map illustrates satellite-detected surface waters due to the current monsoon rains over Ayeyarwady and Bago region of Myanmar as observed from a S entinel-1 image as of 10 S eptember 2023. Within the analyzed area of about 24,040 k m2, a total of about 1,851 k m2 of lands appear to be flooded. Based on Worldpop population data and the detected surface waters, about 288,362 people are potentially exposed or living close to flooded areas. T his is a preliminary analysis and has not yet been validated in the field. Please send ground feedback to MIMU .
Important Note: Flood analysis from radar images may underestimate the presence of standing waters in built-up areas and densely vegetated areas due to back scattering..."
Source/publisher:
Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-09-10
Date of entry/update:
2023-09-13
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Individual Documents
Category:
Flooding in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional
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Title: Probable Flood Inundated Area in in Magway Region as of 8 September 2023 (6:00 AM Local Time)
Description:
"Satellite detected water extent as of 8 September 2023, Magway Region
This map illustrates these satellite-detected surface waters due to the current monsoon rains over Magway region of Myanmar as observed from a Sentinel-1 image as of 8 September 2023. Within the analyzed area of about 637 km2, a total of about 637 km2 of lands appear to be flooded. Based on World Population data and the detected surface waters, about 63,342 people are potentially exposed or living close to flooded a rea s. This is a preliminary analysis and has not yet been validated in the field. Please send ground feedback to MIMU.
Important Note: Flood a n a lysis from radar images m a y underestimate the presence of sta n din g wa ters in b uilt-up a rea s and densely vegeta ted a rea s due to backscatter..."
Source/publisher:
Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-09-08
Date of entry/update:
2023-09-13
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Flooding in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional
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1.43 MB
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"2023 marks the sixth anniversary of the 2017 exodus of more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing the Myanmar military’s so-called ‘clearance operations’ from Rakhine State to Bangladesh.
SITUATION IN MYANMAR
The 2021 military coup, after toppling the civilian government and declaring a state of emergency across the country, has disproportionately affected the Rohingya population in Myanmar and heightened their vulnerability. The further extension of martial law and postponement of the general election risks aggravation of the political and humanitarian crisis.
In Rakhine State, approximately 600,000 Rohingya continue to live under de facto indefinite detention with severe restrictions ranging from freedom of movement (harassment, extortion, curfews, etc.) to arbitrary detention and arrests under immigration laws. The limited access to food, water, healthcare, education, employment, and justice has compounded their social exclusion and entrenched systemic discrimination that amounts to an apartheid-like situation.
Cyclone Mocha, which struck the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on 14 May 2023, had a devastating effect on the Rohingya in Rakhine State; hundreds were killed, thousands were injured, and there was a widespread collapse of housing and shelters. The Myanmar military not only provided inadequate warning and evacuation plans, but it also failed in relief and rehabilitation. The military junta deliberately blocked access to humanitarian aid, rejected travel visas and suspended authorisations to aid and medical workers. The intentional blockade and abject indifference by the military exacerbated the food, water, and health crisis, including rising malnutrition and waterborne diseases, and lack of sanitation.
SITUATION IN BANGLADESH
In Bangladesh, which hosts over a million Rohingya refugees, the situation in the camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char is dire, with restrictions on movement, lack of access to durable housing, education, livelihood, and health care. Recurring natural disasters, including cyclones and floods and man-made events like fires and arson in the camps, exacerbate the situation. In June 2023, faced with a shortage of funds from the international community, the United Nations World Food Programme slashed food rations from $12 to $8 a month, heightening the risk of malnutrition, drug and human trafficking, forced marriages, and child labour.
There is growing violence in the camps from armed gangs and militants, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in the refugee camps. The increase in killings of community leaders, including Majhis has had a chilling effect and contributed to a climate of extreme insecurity. Bangladesh police have failed to respond to the complaints filed by Rohingya relating to sexual violence, torture, abduction, child recruitment etc., and provide adequate security and protection. In fact, since 2020, the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) tasked to provide security at the camps has been accused of corruption and rights violations and extorted, tortured, and arbitrarily detained the already vulnerable Rohingya.
Thousands of Rohingya, risking their lives and paying exorbitant ransoms, have undertaken perilous journeys by sea to escape the harsh living conditions of the camps. In doing so, hundreds of Rohingya including women and children have lost their lives. Failure of States to respond to boats with refugees in distress increases the risk of starvation and deaths at sea.
THE PILOT REPATRIATION PROJECT
In May 2023, following the tripartite negotiations between the Myanmar junta, Bangladesh, and China, a select group 20 Rohingya were taken to resettlement camps in Rakhine State as a part of a ‘pilot project’. According to the project, around 1000 Rohingya refugees will be placed in ‘transit camps’ for two months before being shifted to one of the two resettlements camps in one of the 15 ‘designated villages’ in Myanmar. These transit camps are detention-like centres with barbed wire perimeters and check posts. The camps will be guarded by the military for reasons of ‘security’. The Project doesn’t grant Myanmar citizenship to the Rohingya under the 1982 Citizenship Law and only accord them with the National Verification Cards (NVCs). The NVCs designate the Rohingya as ‘foreigners’ and restricts their access and movement.
The May 2023 visit was preceded by the visit of Myanmar military officials to Cox’s Bazar in March to undertake the ‘verification process’ for the pilot project. The refugees in the camps were misled, deceived, and coerced by the Bangladesh security officers into interacting with the junta officials. Any repatriation must ensure that the Rohingya are included in the talks and the return of refugees is voluntary, informed, safe, and dignified. However, the present condition in Myanmar is far from conducive to meeting these requirements. If anything, the situation in Rakhine State has worsened since the 2021 military coup. While there is a long-standing demand for a durable solution from Rohingya, including the return to their homeland, the forceful refoulement of refugees to Myanmar under the leadership of the military junta – the orchestrators of the 2017 ‘clearance operations’, would place the lives of the Rohingya at significant risk.
The December 2022 UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution and the High Commissioner on Human Rights and Special Rapporteur’s report – all acknowledge that the current situation in Myanmar is not optimal for the return of the Rohingya refugees and call for the root causes to be resolved. However, the purported pilot project doesn’t accord equal citizenship to Rohingya and the violence by the military junta remains unabated in Myanmar.
INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY EFFORTS
The military junta spearheading the repatriation project is nothing but an attempt to garner legitimacy from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the international community. Following the rejection of the military’s preliminary objection to the court’s jurisdiction, the military failed to submit its counter-memorial at the ICJ in the allotted time and sought an extension. The ongoing legal proceedings at the ICJ pertaining to the Genocide Convention and the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning crimes against humanity seeking responsibility for the atrocities committed against the Rohingya are essential accountability initiatives albeit slow. The ICC investigation opened in 2019 is yet to result in any significant movement when compared to other investigations in the recent past, including the issuance of an arrest warrant. In contrast, the progress in the universal jurisdiction case in Argentina as well as a new complaint filed against the Myanmar military in Germany for the atrocity crimes committed against the Rohingya, is a welcome development.
The passivity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has emboldened the Myanmar military. The Indonesian chairmanship of the regional group has not yielded any substantial change. The blatant and continuing breach of the Five-Point Consensus reflects the military’s disregard for regional peace and security. The commission of mass atrocities, increase in transnational crimes,including drug smuggling and trafficking, and blockage of humanitarian assistance, demand strong action by ASEAN rather than quiet diplomacy. The Security Council would be betraying its duty and obligation under the UN Charter if it remains seized of the rising impunity of the military junta in Myanmar but turns a blind eye to the flagrant violation of the adopted resolution and passes the buck to ASEAN.
The Asia Justice Coalition is alarmed at the international indifference to the plight of the Rohingya and expresses its deep concern regarding the proposed ‘pilot project’ aimed at forceful repatriation of the Rohingya. It calls upon:
The Myanmar junta to immediately end the ongoing attacks and military operations across the country, including all violations of international law against Rohingya and other
The military junta to urgently facilitate safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access across the country, especially to the Rohingya and Cyclone Mocha victims.
The Bangladesh government to provide increased protection and security to the Rohingya and investigate and prosecute security officials responsible for rights violations against the
The Bangladesh government to halt its participation in the tripartite diplomatic efforts to repatriate Rohingya and continue to uphold its commitment to hosting the refugees.
The Bangladesh government to ease restrictions in the refugee camps and provide Rohingya access to education, livelihood, health services.
ASEAN to overhaul the Five-Point Consensus and set a concrete and timebound action plan, block Myanmar from all its meetings, and support UN member states in enforcing sanctions and a global arms embargo.
The UN Security Council to hold a public session on the situation in Myanmar, impose a binding global arms embargo, and along with UN member states impose targeted sanctions, and stop the supply and transfer of arms to the Myanmar military and ensure effective implementation and prosecute sanction breaches.
The UN Security Council to urgently refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court for a full investigation.
International community, especially donor governments, to urgently contribute to the UN Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya and meet funding commitments.
UN member states to call for voluntary, informed, safe, and dignified return of the Rohingya and prevent forceful repatriation of the refugees to Myanmar.
The US, UK, EU, and other like-minded states/international organizations to formally intervene in The Gambia Myanmar before the ICJ, and Canada and The Netherlands to take formal steps towards their intention to intervene.
Neighbouring countries, including India, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, to devise a comprehensive regional response to the refugee crisis, provide protection, support, and humanitarian and legal aid to all refugees fleeing Myanmar, and to authorize emergency cross- border aid to internally displaced people in Myanmar.
All countries to use all avenues and diplomatic channels at their disposal in pursuit of justice and accountability for the people of Myanmar, including civil and criminal legal actions based on the principle of universal jurisdiction..."
Source/publisher:
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Date of publication:
2023-08-25
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-25
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"Yangon - On this World Humanitarian Day, we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the tragic attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad that reshaped the course of humanitarian action. Today, as we reflect, we are honored to recognize the dedicated aid workers of Myanmar, who exhibit unwavering commitment in delivering crucial assistance to affected and displaced communities despite the immensely challenging operational environment.
In Myanmar, active conflicts and natural disasters have led to surging displacement and unparalleled hardships. Nearly 18 million people (one-third of the population) urgently require humanitarian aid in 2023. Despite escalating complexities and multiplying challenges, our resilient humanitarians continue to rise above difficulties to deliver life-saving support.
Local and national humanitarian partners have demonstrated unwavering resolve in supporting their fellow citizens, employing innovative approaches to reach conflict-affected and disaster-stricken areas. Their determination remains focused on the singular goal of preserving lives. Throughout the first half of 2023, these partners provided shelter, food, health services, education, protection, and more to 1.8 million men, women, and children affected by conflicts and natural disasters, achieving 36 percent of their target.
However, the journey is far from over. Completing this mission amidst insecurity and continual challenges demands safeguarding the lives of these brave humanitarians and ensuring unhindered access to those in need. Financial support is equally vital to deliver comprehensive assistance to the people of Myanmar who are grappling with the compounding consequences of COVID-19, conflict, economic crisis, and natural disasters.
Nonetheless, almost eight months into 2023, the Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal are only funded at 25 per cent. This shortfall hinders our ability to provide timely and extensive aid.
On this World Humanitarian Day, we implore all parties to uphold international human rights and humanitarian laws, including ensuring humanitarian access and protecting aid workers. We also call upon the donor community to escalate their financial contributions, thereby reaffirming their commitment to the resilient people of Myanmar who endure this multi-faceted crisis.
In the spirit of humanity, let us stand united and resolute in our determination to protect lives and alleviate suffering no matter what and where..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-08-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Flooding in Burma/Myanmar
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"Being separated from your loved ones is a heavy burden to bear and many detainees deal with this every day. Often, the hope of being reunited with their families one day helps them cope with their tough circumstances. But upon release, many of them find their journey back home difficult because of high transport costs and unstable security conditions in some areas.
Through the Safe Return Home programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Myanmar supports released detainees to reach home in a safe and dignified way. Our teams meet with the released detainees and provide them with money for transport, allowance for food and temporary accommodation besides necessary information.
Between January and June 2023, we supported 1,487 people after their release from detention, helping them to reunite with their families. It is a small but significant support for those who are re-entering society.
"After being released from detention in Malaysia, we were sent back to Myanmar. We quarantined for seven days in Yangon before returning home to our villages by buses, motorbikes and boats," says U Thein*, who received support from the ICRC.
A new chapter
Being able to embrace their loved ones is often the first step towards a new start for those who are released. "This is a new beginning in many ways," says Ko Min*, as he looks forward to returning to his village in Rakhine State.
Ko Min plans to rebuild his home and support his community when he gets back. He shares that his village was severely affected when Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar in early May 2023. "Some people in my community were farmers, some were daily wageworkers, and some were fishermen. The cyclone destroyed all our means of earning livelihoods. I am just thankful that my family is safe even though it has been a very difficult time," he says.
Despite the continued suspension of visits to prisons, the ICRC in Myanmar provides some support to inmates and their families through services such as helping families clarify the whereabouts of missing relatives when they are believed to be detained, helping families travel to prisons and safely deliver parcels to their loved ones and helping released detainees return home safely..."
Source/publisher:
International Committee of the Red Cross (Geneva)
Date of publication:
2023-08--15
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-15
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"Executive Summary
Given the fragile and conflict-affected situation with limited access in Myanmar, the World Bank has adopted the Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) methodology to estimate damages arising from Cyclone Mocha. GRADE is a remote, desktop analysis to estimate damage to capital stock. This report summarizes the results of the GRADE1 conducted to assess damages following the impact of Extremely severe cyclonic storm2 Mocha in Myanmar during May 2023.
Key Findings
Total Damages: The median estimate of total direct damages caused by Cyclone Mocha is US$ 2.24 billion, equivalent to 3.4% of Myanmar’s GDP in 2021. This includes damages to residential and non-residential buildings and contents, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Output Definition: Economic impacts are reported in terms of capital damages, estimated via the GRADE methodology.
Affected Sectors: Based on damages estimated from reported impacts, the residential housing sector is the hardest hit, followed by non-residential buildings and infrastructure, and then agriculture.
Spatial Distribution: Over 80% of the damages occurred in Rakhine and Sagaing. Rakhine was the worst affected, with approximately 1.2 million people across seven districts and 17 townships impacted. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps across Rakhine State, were devastated by the storm, leading to many deaths.
Points of Interest: (a) The cyclone caused significant damages to five States/Regions in the west and northwestern part of the country: Rakhine, Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, and Chin; (b) The primary source of damage from Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State was wind while in Magway and Sagaing regions there was also significant flooding; (c) Infrastructure across the affected regions suffered extensive damage, including health facilities, schools, communication networks, and transportation systems; (d) The ongoing conflict in several regions, particularly in Rakhine State, has exacerbated the impacts of the cyclone and is likely to impact the response and recovery process.
This post-disaster damage estimation effort provides a useful initial estimate of the damages and economic impact caused by Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar and could contribute and complement additional damage and loss assessments involving ground evaluations to plan and design recovery planning and reconstruction.
Residential buildings, non-residential buildings and infrastructure damages are estimated via the GRADE methodology. Published national-level and state/township-level damage reports from local sources have been used for the model (see Annex 2 for detailed references). Data has been cross-checked with georeferenced images and footage from mainstream and social media, and reports from other agencies and organizations.
For residential buildings, non-residential buildings and infrastructure, the analyses at this point evaluate only physical damage to capital stock and do not cover the economic flow losses (e.g., costs of business interruption).
Agricultural damages and losses are estimated based on the disaggregation, quantification, and values of crops from the 2021 Statistical Yearbook and previous agricultural censuses; combined with current yield estimates from state and district agricultural departments. Agricultural losses include damage and production losses.
Estimated Damages
The cost of direct damages to buildings, infrastructure, and agriculture from Cyclone Mocha are estimated at US$2.24 billion. This is equivalent to approximately 3.4% of Myanmar’s 2021 GDP. The estimation includes damages due to wind, flooding, storm surge and landslides to residential and non-residential buildings (including building contents), as well as damages to agriculture and infrastructure sector. Table 1 shows the breakdown of the best estimate of direct economic damages in Myanmar by sector and by State or Region, and as a whole for the event. There is some uncertainty around the estimates, due to incomplete damage statistics which were compensated for by using modelling methods. The analyses at this point evaluate only physical damage to capital stock and do not cover the losses as per PDNA3 definition (e.g., business interruption), except for agriculture. The damages to buildings (residential and non-residential) include building contents. It is estimated that more than 70% of the total damages occurred in Rakhine State. Damages to housing and non-residential buildings and their contents account for over 49% and 18% of the total respectively, while damages to infrastructure and agriculture account for under 22% and 11% of the total respectively.
To derive the capital damages, the analysis has taken into consideration observational and historical information in the region. Published damage reports from May 12th to June 8th have been used from, among others, the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MOHADM) agencies, as well as other state and township level data from news reports and public agencies’ reporting4. This has been cross-checked with georeferenced images and footage from mainstream and social media, and flood footprints derived from satellite imagery and flow gauge data from Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).
The spatial distribution of total capital damages is shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 (Section 2.3). The greatest damages have occurred in Rakhine State and Sagaing Region, which together account for nearly 84% of the total accumulated damages. Rakhine, as the State that was hit the hardest, experienced a total damage that amounted to almost 30% of its total capital stock..."
Source/publisher:
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and World Bank
Date of publication:
2023-08-07
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-07
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"Heavy rain has been affecting southern Myanmar since 3 August, causing widespread floods and resulting in casualties and damage.
According to media, as of 7 August, in Mon State, 6,298 people in Belin town, northern Mon State, and nearly 200 people in Thaton town, north-eastern Mon State, have been temporarily displaced. In Kayin State, 792 people in Myawaddy town and 300 people in Hpa-an towns have been evacuated to shelters.
For the next 24 hours, moderate to heavy rain is forecast over most of the country, with northern Myanmar facing very heavy rainfall..."
Source/publisher:
European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
Date of publication:
2023-08-07
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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Title: Probable Flood Inundated Area in Kayin and Mon State as of 5 August 2023 (5:47 AM Local Time)
Description:
"Satellite detected water extent as of 5 August 2023 in Kayin and Mon State
5 August 2023 in Kayin and Mon State This map illustrates satellite-detected surface waters due to the current monsoon rains over Kayin and Mon State of Myanmar as observed from a Sentinel-1 image as of 5 August 2023. Within the analyzed area of about 11,238 km2, a total of about 1,557 km2 of lands appear to be flooded. Based on Worldpop population data and the detected surface waters, about 280,772 people are potentially exposed or living close to flooded areas. This is a preliminary analysis and has not yet been validated in the field. Please send ground feedback to MIMU.
Important Note: Flood analysis from radar images may underestimate the presence of standing waters in built-up areas and densely vegetated areas due to backscattering..."
Source/publisher:
Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-08-06
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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2.24 MB
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"In hard-hit Rakhine State, heavy rains will bring further hardships for hundreds of thousands of displaced people whose homes were damaged by Cyclone Mocha.
By Reuben Lim Wende and Fabien Faivre in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Myanmar
Each year, between June and October, communities across Myanmar’s Rakhine State brace themselves for the near-daily deluges that sweep across the region during the monsoon season.
This year, the monsoon will bring unique challenges. In May, Cyclone Mocha, the most severe storm to hit Myanmar since Cyclone Nargis struck in 2008, made landfall on Rakhine State’s coast, causing widespread destruction.
Two months after it pummelled western Myanmar and southern Bangladesh, scenes of devastation can still be seen along roads radiating out from Sittwe, the state capital. Buildings with collapsed walls, missing roofs, and broken windows, interspersed with fallen electrical poles and other damaged infrastructure, dot the landscape.
Rakhine State is home to over 228,000 internally displaced people forced from their homes by bouts of intercommunal violence and conflict, including 157,000 ethnic Rohingya who have been living in overcrowded camps since 2012.
In Dar Paing, a camp for over 12,000 internally displaced Rohingya, debris and waterlogged soil stretches for as far as the eye can see. The camp was among the hardest hit by the cyclone, with 10 recorded deaths.
The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded. Sittwe Township, where Dar Paing is located, is at the confluence of three rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean – the Kaladan, Lay Myo and Mayu. The township was in the cyclone’s direct path and the accompanying storm surge triggered large-scale flooding in low-lying areas, causing a still-unknown number of casualties.
The community in Dar Paing had little time to mourn. With the monsoon rains already starting, residents of the camp are attempting to rebuild as best they can before the rainy season reaches its peak. But so far, only a fraction of damaged and destroyed shelters have been repaired, and thousands of people remain exposed to the elements.
“Our community is facing a lot of challenges. A lot of people need help to fix their roofs. The rains have arrived, and I am worried the situation will become unsustainable,” says Amraan, a community volunteer at the camp.
The monsoon season adds to the hardships faced by communities already living on the brink. The Rohingya face severe discrimination in Myanmar, impeding their access to fundamental rights. Many live in extreme poverty due to restrictions on their freedom of movement that have limited their ability to earn an income and access basic services such as education and healthcare.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and local partners are redoubling efforts to assist both displaced and non-displaced communities by ramping up their assistance in areas where the de facto authorities have granted limited humanitarian access. Work is ongoing in displacement camps and villages to quickly distribute tarpaulins and reconstruct communal longhouses. To date, over 100,000 people have received shelter assistance and basic household items.
“Needs for the monsoon this year are immense,” says Federico Sersale, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Sittwe. “While we have been able to reach a large number of people, increased access is needed so we can reach more communities and help them stay protected from the rain.”
The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded. Stories of loss and hardship abound all along the Rakhine coast. Abia Khartu, 63, an ethnic Rohingya from Basara village, lost her home and belongings to the cyclone. “[After the cyclone hit], I was in shock. I could not even find my house. Everything has been destroyed,” she says. She now lives in a makeshift shelter covered by a tarpaulin provided by UNHCR.
The space inside is spartan with few personal items besides a sleeping mat, bucket, blanket and kitchen set. These basic household items are distributed by UNHCR and partners to help communities cope with the loss of their belongings.
Longer-term solutions needed
No community in the path of the cyclone was spared. In downtown Sittwe, residents of Ngai Sa Rai Monastery worry about the damaged state of communal shelters and facilities. “The cyclone destroyed 10 of the 12 latrines here. Now, there are long waits every morning and we also lack bathing spaces for women,” Ma Soe Yai, 31, says.
The Buddhist monastery has been a refuge for 35 Rakhine families since they were displaced by the conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Armed Forces in 2020. Every communal longhouse at the site, each housing up to six families, sustained moderate to severe damage from the cyclone.
“It’s difficult for me to not worry. My roof leaks whenever it rains. If another storm comes, my shelter might collapse. I am miserable,” says Ma Soe Yai.
UNHCR is working closely with partner organizations to ensure tarpaulins are distributed, damaged shelters are reconstructed, and communal facilities are repaired.
Nearby in Set Yon Su Ward, an informal settlement where a small number of displaced ethnic Rakhine live, U Aye Dun, 65, has recently finished reconstructing his shelter which collapsed during the storm.
Topped with a white tarpaulin provided by UNHCR, it took him over two weeks to reconstruct his home. “I fixed everything myself. I have skills in bamboo craft, so I was able to rebuild my shelter without hiring additional labour. Otherwise, it would have been extremely expensive,” he says.
But as a daily wage labourer, U Aye Dun was unable to earn an income while he was rebuilding. Many others in this economically vulnerable community face the dilemma of having to forgo daily wages to fix their shelters so they can stay dry during the monsoon.
As commodity prices skyrocket in the aftermath of the cyclone, the provision of tarpaulins and basic household items has provided some much-needed relief to vulnerable families.
But more remains to be done. The UN estimates that at least 657,000 people across Rakhine need help with shelter, up from 390,000 people before the cyclone hit. Many are in hard-to-reach locations with limited humanitarian access.
“Our priority right now is to ensure people have a roof over their heads, but it is also important to continue to support displaced communities with long-term solutions, including access to basic rights and services, and help to return to their places of origin or preference,” says UNHCR’s Sersale..."
Source/publisher:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-07-31
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Highlights
The current food insecurity situation is critical due to reduced agricultural production in 2022, intensified conflict, record high food prices and the devastating effects of Cyclone Mocha.
The conflict triggered record-high civilian displacements, currently estimated at 1.83 million people, a three-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Food insecurity could worsen if constrained access to fertilizer and intensified conflict persist, and if the forecast of below-average monsoon precipitation is realized, thus reducing cereal production in 2023.
Acute food insecurity is at critical levels in various parts of the country, mainly due to the shortfalls in 2022 cereal production, intensified conflict and record high food prices. According to the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) published last January, the highest prevalence and severity of acute food insecurity was reported in northwestern and southeastern areas, including Rakhine, Chin, Kayah and Kayin states as well as the Sagaing and Mandalay regions (Map 1 in the PDF). Since mid-2022 the conflict increased in intensity and spread to various parts of the country, causing large-scale displacement, disrupting trade flows and limiting access to humanitarian assistance. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of June 2023, a record high of 1.83 million people are internally displaced (IDPs), a three-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022 (Figure 1) with most of them being almost entirely reliant on humanitarian aid. In addition, 1.12 million people sought shelter in neighbouring countries, mostly in Bangladesh in Cox’s Bazar District and on the island of Bhasan Char. On 14 May 2023, Cyclone Mocha, a Category 5 event with strong winds and heavy rains, made landfall in northwestern parts of the country, triggering flash floods, and affecting the livelihoods of at least 3.4 million people. The most severely affected areas were the Rakhine, Chin and Kachin states as well as the Sagaing and Magway regions, where 60 percent of the IDPs are located. Food security conditions could deteriorate further if constrained access to fertilizers, persisting local insecurity and if the forecast below-average 2023 monsoon precipitation is realized resulting in lower cereal production in 2023. Given the critical food insecurity conditions, an immediate scaling up of ongoing food and livelihood humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable households is urgently needed. Support for the ongoing 2023 main agricultural season should be provided to farming households to enhance their productive capacity..."
Source/publisher:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Rome) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-08-04
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Agriculture in Burma/Myanmar: general and research, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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396.8 KB
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"Deep Depression Condition
According to the observations at (05:30) hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression which crossed to Bangladesh Coast near Khepupara has moved West-Northwestwards and reached to inland of West Bengal, India and it is likely continue to move West-Northwestwards and weaken gradually.
General caution
Under the influence of the deep depression and vigorous monsoon, occassional squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (45) m.p.h. Occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (12-15) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and (9-11) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts during next (24) hours.
Rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in the whole country with regionally heavyfalls in Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States and isolated heavyfalls in Upper Sagaing, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin State during next (24) hours.
Advisory
Under the influence of the deep depression and vigorous monsoon, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-08-02
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-02
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Individual Documents
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pdf
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4.97 MB
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Description:
"Depression Condition
According to the observations at (09:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Well Marked Low Pressure Area over North Bay of Bengal has intensified into a Depression It is centered at about (55) Nautical miles Southwest of Maungdaw, (80) Nautical miles Northwest of Sittwe, (135) Nautical miles Northwest of Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), (230) Nautical miles East-Northeast of Digha (India), (110) Nautical miles Southeast of Khepupara (Bangladesh).
It is not moving towards Myanmar coasts, the present stage of the Depression is coded yellow stage.
Position of depression, center pressure and wind
Depression is located at Latitude (20.5) degree North and Longitude (91.5) degree East, centre pressure of depression is (990) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (30-35) miles per hour at (09:30) hrs MST today.
During next (12) hrs forecast
The depression may further intensify into a deep depression and likely to move Northwestwards and cross Bangladesh coast near Khepupara (Bangladesh) during next (12) hours.
General caution
Frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (45-50) m.p.h. Occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (12-15) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and (9-11) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts from commencing today morning to (3.8.2023).
Rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in the whole country with regionally heavyfalls in Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States and isolated heavy falls in Magway, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin State from commencing today morning to (3.8.2023).
Advisory
Under the influence of the depression and vigorous monsoon, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-08-01
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-01
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
more
Description:
"Deep Depression Condition
According to the observations at (17:30) hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression over North Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh Coast is crossing Bangladesh Coast near Khepupara.
During next (24) hrs forecast
The Deep Depression is likely to move West-Northwestwards and reach to West Bengal, India during next (24) hours.
General caution
Under the influence of the deep depression and vigorous monsoon, frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (45-50) m.p.h. Occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (12-15) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and (9-11) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts from commencing tonight to (3.8.2023).
Rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in the whole country with regionally heavyfalls in Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States and isolated heavyfalls in Upper Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin State from commencing tonight to (3.8.2023).
Advisory
Under the influence of the deep depression and vigorous monsoon, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-08-01
Date of entry/update:
2023-08-01
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
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5.01 MB
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Description:
"Myanmar labour market remains fragile in challenging conditions
Labour market metrics including employment levels, job quality and productivity continue to decline with women workers particularly hard hit.
BANGKOK (ILO News) - The Myanmar labour market continues to suffer from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, the 2021 military takeover and subsequent socio-economic turmoil, according to a new labour market update issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The ILO Brief finds that all metrics point to challenging labour market conditions in the country.
A recent recovery in employment numbers in some sectors has failed to keep pace with population growth. As a result, a significant drop is seen in the employment-to-population ratio, which, at 54.5 per cent in 2022, was 8.2 percentage points below the 2017 level.
The quality of jobs has declined with more workers pushed into the informal sector. Labour productivity has also fallen with estimates showing an 8 per cent drop in 2021 and a further 2 per cent loss in the first half of 2022.
The disproportionate impact on women is also revealed, with the employment-to-population ratio of women in Myanmar declining by twice as much as that of men.
Donglin Li, Liaison Officer, ILO Myanmar, said, “Employment conditions in Myanmar remain fragile and challenging with many workers facing a very uncertain future. The restoration of democracy remains critical to the future prospects of Myanmar and its people and is a necessary pre-condition of social justice and decent work.”..."
Source/publisher:
International Labour Organization (Geneva)
Date of publication:
2023-07-27
Date of entry/update:
2023-07-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
Format :
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Size:
218.52 KB 143.56 KB 365.19 KB
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"The Government of Sri Lanka handed over a consignment of 1 metric ton of Ceylon Tea to the civilians affected by the Cyclone MOCHA in Myanmar at an event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador of Myanmar in Colombo Han Thu received the donation of Ceylon Tea from the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 27 July 2023.
Ambassador Han Thu expressed the sincere appreciation of the Government of Myanmar for this token of solidarity by the Government of Sri Lanka and reiterated the longstanding friendly bilateral relations between two countries.
Additional Secretary Yasoja Gunasekera, Directors General Waruna Wilpatha, O.L. Ameerajwad and other officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated at this event..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Sri Lanka
Date of publication:
2023-07-27
Date of entry/update:
2023-07-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar
Language:
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Description:
"On 11 July 2023, H.E. Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, was the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to witness the humanitarian aid delivery ceremony to assist the Myanmar people affected by Cyclone Mocha where a representative of the Siam Cement Public Company Limited (SCG) delivered relief items through H.E. U Chit Swe, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to Thailand, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Thailand is scheduled to deliver additional humanitarian aid from the SCG, consisting of corrugated zinc sheets, roof nails, common nails and solar cell lamps as requested by the Myanmar side to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts for the people affected by Cyclone Mocha on 12 July 2023. The delivery will be transported by land from Bangkok to Yangon, with the support from the Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Thai-Myanmar Association for Friendship.
This is the 3rd delivery of humanitarian assistance from Thailand to Myanmar following the 1st delivery by air on 23 May 2023 and the 2nd delivery by land on 1 June 2023..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Thailand
Date of publication:
2023-06-11
Date of entry/update:
2023-07-11
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Politics and Government - global and regional - general studies, strategies, theory, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Mr. Vice President, Excellencies, Distinguished colleagues,
This Council has heard report after report on the human rights situation in Myanmar.
With each successive update, it is almost impossible to imagine that the people of Myanmar can endure more suffering.
Yet the country continues its deadly freefall into even deeper violence and heartbreak.
A regime imposed by generals for the last two and a half years has snatched away the optimism that Myanmar’s people once held for peace, democracy, and a more prosperous future.
Civilians live at the whim of a reckless military authority that relies on systematic control tactics, fear and terror.
Civilians also bear the devastating brunt of the grotesque violence, including against older people, people with disabilities and infants.
The situation has become untenable.
We see a spiralling economy, worsening the poverty already endured by much of the population.
Natural resources are being exploited at dangerous rates, causing irreversible environmental harm.
The voices of civil society and journalists are being strangled.
Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture continue unabated.
And the country’s minorities again face brutal attacks by the military in border regions, with increasing numbers of people crossing international frontiers in search of safety and protection. More than one million Rohingya remain in neighbouring Bangladesh where they live in the world’s largest refugee camp in deplorable conditions. The conditions for their return to Myanmar are still non-existent. The military continues to carry out atrocities in their home state of Rakhine, where they are denied citizenship.
Mr. Vice President,
Credible sources indicate that as of yesterday, 3,747 individuals have died at the hands of the military since they took power, and 23,747 have been arrested. These figures represent the minimum that can be documented and verified - the true number of casualties is likely to be far higher.
Every day, the military’s ruthless so-called “four cuts” strategy continues to wreak destruction.
Entire villages are razed and burned to the ground, collectively punishing civilians, by depriving them of shelter, food, water, and life-saving aid. Since the coup began, the military has scorched at least 70,000 homes across the country, 70 percent of which were in Sagaing region. Over 1.5 million people have been forcibly displaced with minimal access to humanitarian aid.
Incessant airstrikes and artillery shelling are destroying homes and stealing lives. In the first six months of this year, my Office reported a 33 percent increase in indiscriminate airstrikes compared to the first half of last year, with rising attacks on civilian targets, including villages, schools, hospitals and places of worship.
On 11 April in Pa Zi Gyi village in Sagaing region, up to 168 civilians, including scores of women and children, were killed in an air attack.
Artillery attacks have also dramatically increased, with over 563 this year, representing already 80 percent of the total attacks last year. My Office also continues to document repeated violations of the most brutal forms: sexual violence, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, beheadings, dismemberments, and mutilations.
This constitutes a complete disregard of the principles of international human rights and international humanitarian law.
And it displays an utter contempt for humanity.
Mr. Vice President,
The report I present to the Council today focuses on the systematic denial by the military of life-saving humanitarian aid for civilians. They have put in place a raft of legal, financial, and bureaucratic barriers to ensure people in need do not receive and cannot access assistance.
This obstruction of life-saving aid is deliberate and targeted, a calculated denial of fundamental rights and freedoms for large swathes of the population.
This is being done in a situation where one-third of the entire population requires urgent help – including access to adequate housing, enough food and water, or employment.
In mid-May, when Cyclone Mocha made landfall with devastating effect in Rakhine, Chin, Magway and Sagaing, the military actively prevented independent needs assessments, and obstructed access to information. They suspended all travel authorisations in Rakhine State, eventually allowing distribution of aid to resume if it was not cyclone-related.
Importantly, all disbursements of Cyclone Mocha-related humanitarian aid remain frozen unless delivered by the military apparatus. They have threatened legal action against anyone reporting figures different to theirs on the number of Rohingya deaths, fixed by the military at 116, but believed to be higher.
To date, because of lack of access, it has not been possible to confirm the number of Rohingya deaths and those of members from other communities.
I deplore the direct attacks on humanitarian staff. Local organizations, which provide the vast majority of humanitarian aid, face the greatest risks in carrying out their work. Up to 40 humanitarian workers have been killed and over 200 arrested since the coup.
The already fragile health system is now in disarray. Despite the efforts of grassroots organizations, a de facto ban on transportation of medicines and other medical supplies across large parts of Myanmar has resulted in lack of access to medical assistance.
15.2 million people are in need of urgent food and nutrition support. The price of food rose 177 percent in 2022, and the continued violence, land-grabbing and high risk posed by mines and unexploded ordnance has resulted in a marked decrease in food production.
The need for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Myanmar has never been more urgent. I call on Member States to fund the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan and to provide direct and flexible funding for local organisations on the ground that are desperately trying to reach people in need.
Mr. Vice President,
In line with Security Council resolution 2669 I repeat the call for an immediate end to this senseless violence.
Without delay, I also urge the authorities to release the 19,377 political prisoners detained throughout Myanmar, including deposed President Win Mynt and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The path out of this crisis must be anchored in accountability for the grave human rights violations and other violations of international law that are occurring. I urge the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court. Any political solution to this protracted emergency must include accountability.
Regarding the one million Rohingya in Bangladesh, voluntary repatriation can only occur when conditions for safe, sustainable, and dignified returns to Myanmar are in place and when the full range of their rights will be respected and upheld. The Rohingya themselves must be at the centre of decision-making. Returns must only take place with their fully informed and truly voluntary choice.
For its part, the international community must continue to provide support to host communities, including and notably in Bangladesh, and adequate protection for all people who are crossing international borders.
I also appeal to all countries to cease and prevent the supply of arms to the military and to take targeted measures to limit access by generals to foreign currency, aviation fuel and other means that enable attacks on Myanmar’s people.
This Council needs to consider how to bring to light the business interests that support the military and keep them afloat.
Mr. Vice President,
Among the numerous crimes perpetrated against the people of Myanmar, I was outraged to hear of the arrests of over a hundred people by the military on 19 June. Their crime was buying, selling, carrying, or wearing a flower to celebrate Aung San Suu Kyi’s 78th birthday.
It is difficult to imagine that Myanmar’s people – who just two and a half years ago were looking forward to a better future – are being stifled by an oppressor which regards bearing a flower as a criminal act.
For decades, the people of Myanmar have faced repression and isolation. But they have never stopped calling for their fundamental rights to be respected, nor have they ceased to make great sacrifices for a democratic future.
I stand in solidarity with Myanmar’s people. I honour their extraordinary strength, spirit, and resilience as they endure day after day of crisis.
I want to emphasise that the Rohingya are an integral part of Myanmar’s people and the future of the country.
I remind the international community, the Security Council, ASEAN, and all Member States with influence over Min Aung Hlaing and the Tatmadaw of their responsibility to exert maximum pressure to end this crisis.
It is of the utmost urgency that we restore all conditions necessary for Myanmar’s people to find a way out of the heartache, and to live their lives in freedom and safety.
Thank you..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Date of publication:
2023-07-06
Date of entry/update:
2023-07-06
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
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Description:
"Context
On 14 May 2023, cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar, accompanied by violent gusts, torrential rainfall and flooding. Mocha caused significant disruption to the lives and livelihoods of more than 40 percent of farming households in Ayeyarwady, Chin, Kachin, Magway and Sagaing, and more than 80 percent in Rakhine. The climate-induced disaster struck some of the most vulnerable rural communities at a time when they were already grappling with a growing food security crisis.1 Moreover, agricultural production had been steadily declining, and more than half of farmers reported a drop in agricultural production in January 2023.
Cyclone Mocha damaged approximately 327 000 ha of agricultural lands, wiping out agricultural production worth an estimated USD 22.6 million.3 Furthermore, nearly 13 000 heads of livestock were lost, valued at approximately USD 6.7 million.
Mocha also inflicted severe damage on critical agricultural infrastructures, fisheries, and vital seed stocks.
According to the findings of a household survey conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Ayeyarwady, Chin, Kachin, Magway, Rakhine and Sagaing, half of the surveyed farming and livestock-keeping households reported loss of productive assets. FAO further estimates that nearly half of the fishing equipment in Sittwe (Rakhine state) was damaged.
Additionally, according to the findings of a series of key informant interviews conducted by FAO in 11 townships in Rakhine state, two in every three farming households, two in every five agropastoral households, and more than one in every three fishing households lost their productive assets. Of particular concern, coastal areas in Rakhine are likely experiencing saline water intrusion due to their low-lying locations relative to sea level.
As the multidimensional crisis continues and considering the impacts of Mocha on rural communities, food production may decline further, and more people could lack access to food. With three in four people dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods, emergency livelihoods support to farmers, fishers and livestock keepers is crucial in preventing a decline in food security. Accordingly, and in line with Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal, FAO aims to scale up emergency livelihoods support to the most vulnerable rural households in the affected areas..."
Source/publisher:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Rome) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-07-05
Date of entry/update:
2023-07-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Agriculture in Burma/Myanmar: general and research, Cyclones - regional, Flooding in Burma/Myanmar
Language:
Format :
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Size:
600.37 KB
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"RAKHINE STATE, Myanmar – “We need more health-care services and facilities in operation. I want my baby safe, this is all I need.” Nan Nwe, 40, is pregnant and newly displaced in Sittwe, in Myanmar’s cyclone-battered Rakhine State.
Cyclone Mocha was one of the most powerful storms ever to hit Myanmar, affecting an estimated 3.4 million people. Howling winds tore homes to pieces, while torrential downpours and a dangerous storm surge submerged areas along the coast, flooding villages and leaving hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people without shelter.
Many who were already displaced in camps and displacement sites, stateless people, women and children, and people with disabilities have lost their homes and access to basic services and clean water. Health facilities and UNFPA-supported safe spaces for women and girls have been extensively damaged or destroyed entirely by the storm.
Yoma Nandar, 21, is also from Sittwe, near where the cyclone made landfall on 14 May. She asked, “When pregnant women need services urgently, where do we go unless the services are available and in our reach?”
Twenty-six year old Nway Nway Soe is also pregnant and lives in the path of the cyclone. She told UNFPA, “With the destruction of roads and my nearest clinic and expensive transportation costs, I cannot go to the city to receive antenatal care.”
To reach women and girls in even the most inaccessible areas, UNFPA is supporting mobile clinics across nine villages in Sittwe township, providing assistance such as health check-ups, prenatal and postnatal care, family planning and psychosocial support. These clinics, already operated by UNFPA partners before the cyclone, help ensure those grappling with the crisis can receive critical sexual and reproductive health care.
Mounting needs as access and assistance are limited
Reaching people in need was already a challenge in parts of both Rakhine and the northwest due to ongoing conflict and restrictions on movement and supply transportation, and now roads and bridges have been destroyed by flooding.
Ms. Nway was among those who received assistance from one of the mobile facilities in Sittwe. “I’m so lucky that this mobile clinic comes to our door for pregnant women like us,” she said. “There are many women who need urgent health care and support in affected areas.”
Over a month on from the cyclone, humanitarian needs in cyclone-struck areas are enormous. Those affected include some 432,000 women and girls of reproductive age, including over 20,700 who are currently pregnant; around 2,300 of these women were due to give birth over the past month, in the chaotic aftermath of the crisis.
Mya Khin, 37, from the Min Hla village in Sittwe said: “I am nine months pregnant. My house was severely damaged by the cyclone […] What I need most is quality health care for a safe delivery. I am very happy that this mobile clinic is reaching us at this critical time. I received the services and information that are important for my pregnancy.”
Dr Win Zaw Tun, a medical officer with the Myanmar Medical Association in Say Thamar Kyi village in Sittwe, explained the gravity of the situation many are facing.
“Pregnant women can experience many health-related issues unless services are available. Women with high-risk pregnancies are more likely to [be in] critical condition. They need continuous care and even early referral in case of emergency.”
Multiple and multiplying risks
The storm also disrupted community support systems and services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Most of the UNFPA-supported safe spaces for women and girls in central and northern Rakhine have been damaged, while power outages, dilapidated water and toilet facilities and overcrowded living conditions that lack privacy, sanitation and proper lighting are exacerbating these risks.
With the scale of the needs in Myanmar, UNFPA urgently requires funding to support sexual and reproductive health services, including gender-based violence response and mental health and psychosocial support, rehabilitating health facilities, deploying trained midwives and other critical cadres and procuring essential medicines, clean delivery kits and dignity kits.
With the serious gaps in health infrastructure, it is imperative to ensure emergency sexual and reproductive health services to help prevent maternal deaths, sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
Yet many, like Dr. Win and his team, are committed to staying and supporting thousands in desperate need of their help, whatever the conditions.
“Although our clinic building was completely destroyed by Cyclone Mocha, we have made a tent to provide the services,” he said. “Our life-saving services must not stop under any kind of emergency.”..."
Source/publisher:
United Nations Population Fund (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-07-03
Date of entry/update:
2023-07-03
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"Another batch of relief items from the people of ASEAN to the people of Myanmar affected by Tropical Cyclone MOCHA arrived in Yangon on 26 June 2023.
The items include emergency shelter tool kits and a manual water filtration system worth 37.8K USD in value. They were transported from Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) warehouse in Subang, Malaysia, by Indonesia’s military aircraft.
Last week, two batches of DELSA relief items, worth 393.4K USD, were also shipped from Subang to Yangon. One batch arrived on 21June 2023 and the other arrived on 28 June 2023.
Moving forward, ASEAN stands ready to continue supporting Myanmar, including in the transition from emergency response to recovery phase. Modality of support may be developed, among others, from the final ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) needs assessment report. ASEAN Secretary-General, in his capacity as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG-AHAC), will coordinate ASEAN's response.
Tropical Cyclone MOCHA’s devastating impact has affected millions in Myanmar and severely damaging 277,011 buildings including residential houses, schools, hospitals, and other public facilities.
To date, through ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), ASEAN has mobilised 10 batches of humanitarian support for Myanmar with a total value of around 1.6M USD. The items were mobilised through commercial flight, sea freight, and military aircraft from Singapore and Indonesia. ASEAN Member States have also responded individually by providing humanitarian assistance support in the forms of financial aid, logistics, and tools/equipment..."
Source/publisher:
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Date of publication:
2023-06-30
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
ASEAN-Burma relations, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"DELIVERED BY
Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ravina Shamdasani
Myanmar’s overall humanitarian and human rights situation has deteriorated to alarming levels, exacerbated by the military’s strategy to prevent life-saving humanitarian aid from reaching those who desperately need it, a report published today by the UN Human Rights Office shows.
Since 1 February 2021, UN Human Rights has documented how the military continues to prioritize its aims over all other considerations, including the urgent need of conflict-affected communities to receive life-saving assistance. Even when humanitarian workers have been permitted access, their ability to deliver aid has been strictly limited and controlled.
The military has operated as if those providing aid are helping those opposed to their rule, rather than respecting their need for protection and facilitating their access and assistance to the civilian population in a time of crisis.
The already dire situation on the ground has been compounded by the military’s restrictions on aid imposed in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha in May, bringing further suffering and misery to wide swathes of the population in the west and northwest of the country.
As the report makes clear, intentional obstruction or denial of humanitarian assistance may amount to gross violations of international human rights law, and serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Aiming in part at cutting off support for its opponents, the military has employed its four-cuts strategy to kill and injure thousands of civilians while destroying goods and infrastructure necessary for survival, including food, shelter, and medical centres, the report says.
Myanmar’s human rights and humanitarian crisis is massive. An estimated 1.5 million people have been internally displaced, and approximately 60,000 civilian structures have reportedly been burnt or destroyed. Over 17.6 million people, or one-third of the overall population, require some form of humanitarian assistance.
Between February 2021 and April 2023, credible sources verified that at least 3,452 people had died at the hands of the military and its affiliates, and 21,807 individuals had been arrested.
Notably, our report says the security situation has dramatically worsened for humanitarian workers since the coup. Aid providers are consistently exposed to risks of arrest, harassment or other mistreatment, or even death.
Under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, populations-in-need are entitled to receive assistance to ensure the respect of their rights to food, shelter, and health. All parties must allow and facilitate unimpeded passage of life-saving relief to all those in need".
In the context of armed conflicts, intentional obstruction or denial of humanitarian assistance may further constitute war crimes such as wilful killing, torture and other degrading treatment, starvation, and collective punishment. Such intentional denial can also constitute crimes against humanity such as murder, extermination, torture and other inhumane acts, or persecution, when committed in the context of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.
The UN Human Rights Chief will present the report to the Human Rights Council next week..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Date of publication:
2023-06-30
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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Description:
"The Australian Government will provide an additional $12.5 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs in Bangladesh and Myanmar following Tropical Cyclone Mocha.
Tropical Cyclone Mocha caused widespread damage across Myanmar and Bangladesh when it struck on 14 May, affecting an estimated 2.4 million people and compounding an already serious humanitarian situation.
In Myanmar, Australia will provide $10.5 million to support 1.6 million affected people, through the United Nations-led response plan. This assistance will be provided to UN agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure that it does not directly benefit or legitimise the military regime.
In Bangladesh, Australia will provide $2 million to humanitarian partners, primarily to support Bangladeshi communities in the most severely affected areas.
This brings Australia’s contribution towards the Tropical Cyclone Mocha relief efforts to $13.5 million, following Australia’s initial $1 million contribution. Our initial support focused on the rapid delivery of humanitarian supplies and impact assessments.
The additional contributions build on our ongoing support for the humanitarian response in Myanmar and Bangladesh, now totalling $145 million in 2022-23.
We continue to urge the military regime in Myanmar to provide safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Australia
Date of publication:
2023-06-25
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Australia-Burma relations, Cyclones - regional, Flooding in Burma/Myanmar
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Description:
"SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
Cyclonic Storm Mocha caused extensive devastation in the country, affecting regions already facing challenges due to civil unrest, armed clashes, a changing climate and a fragile economy. The cyclone brought about destructive storm surges, heavy rainfall, and flooding, impacting areas such as Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Sagaing.
The State Administration Council responded by declaring natural disaster areas in Rakhine and Chin states. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), as an independent humanitarian actor as enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015, has a specific response role when a declaration of natural disasters is issued.
According to analysis from MRCS’s branches, over 1,100,000 individuals from over 237,000 households are affected, with a large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. Water systems, sanitation facilities, public and community infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and religious buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure, suffered severe damage or complete destruction. Livelihoods have been severely disrupted with the loss of livestock and floods that impacted croplands.
The cyclone's aftermath has led to increased prices of basic goods, and the situation has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the affected population. Disrupted access to healthcare, medicine shortages, and the risks posed by landmines in flooded conflict areas further exacerbate the challenges. Urgent measures are required to protect and support unaccompanied children, the needs of women and girls and other populations in situations of vulnerability.
The cyclone occurred within an already challenging humanitarian context in Myanmar. At the end of 2022, OCHA identified that over 17.6 million people would be in humanitarian need in Myanmar in 20231. Prior to the 1 February 2021 military intervention, Rakhine state already registered over 220,000 internally displaced people (IDP). In the past two years, through the end of April 2023, an additional 10,000 people were displaced within the state2.
The MRCS, with support from the IFRC network, has maintained long-term programming in Rakhine state since large-scale violence erupted in the north of the state in 2012. Through its branch and community-level principled humanitarian actions, MRCS is a well-known humanitarian actor. Like all humanitarian actors, MRCS also has experienced challenges to maintain its continual access to communities in need and advocates with the relevant stakeholders based on its humanitarian mission.
In the second week of June 2023, access to areas in Rakhine state for the cyclone response was temporarily suspended for humanitarian organisations, though previously planned and agreed humanitarian activities could proceed in line with usual processes. The authorities have indicated that actors’ Cyclone Mocha response activities must be coordinated with the National Disaster Management Committee and abide with the regular coordination with the respective line ministries.
Aligned with its established functions enshrined in national law, the MRCS, with IFRC support, is engaged in humanitarian diplomacy to obtain access to reach populations in need within this response operation, as well as in the ongoing programmatic actions. The IFRC continues to support MRCS with strategic and operational guidance, as well as engaging with other humanitarian actors as needed, to strengthen the National Society’s capacities to remain and be perceived as an effective and efficient principled humanitarian actor.
Summary of the response
Overview of the host National Society and ongoing response
The Myanmar Red Cross Society is an independent humanitarian organization that operates impartially and neutrally. Its role as an auxiliary to the state in the humanitarian field, operating in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, is enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015. The MRCS has a strong presence with over a thousand trained Emergency Response Team (ERT) volunteers and 44,000 members nationwide, including 7,994 core Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) active at the community level. The organization has 23 warehouses strategically located throughout the country to support preparedness and response efforts. It also has regional and state branches across the country, and a substantial presence in various operational hubs in Rakhine State, under the management of the MRCS Rakhine Operations Management Unit established over the past decade. During this reporting period, 962 volunteers were deployed to aid the most affected communities since the cyclone made landfall.
The MRCS has established communication channels and built relationships with local authorities and communities in the affected areas through its local staff, volunteers, and branches. This enables them to reach vulnerable communities and provide immediate humanitarian assistance. Through its community presence, MRCS has access on the ground and has collected data as well as assessed the impact of Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State and Magway and Ayeyarwady regions in particular.
In anticipation of the cyclone, the MRCS activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) one week before landfall and initiated preparedness measures and early actions well in advance. Prior to landfall, MRCS volunteers in the projected path and impact zone assisted with evacuations, conducted awareness campaigns, and gathered preliminary data. After the cyclone made landfall, on 14 May, MRCS branches mobilized their volunteers to engage in rescue operations, clear roads and debris, provide first aid and psychosocial support, and collect initial observations and data. MRCS also mobilized its existing operational resources to respond to the aftermath, deploying trained expert personnel to directly provide assistance and support services such as logistics and supply chain.
As of 14 June 2023, MRCS has reached 147,142 people (28,694 households) with relief assistance, including shelter, livelihood support, clean water, and essential household items. A total of 4,650 individuals from 930 households received shelter assistance through distribution of tarpaulins, family kits and blankets. In the hardest-hit region of Rakhine State, MRCS distributed 549,210 liters of safe drinking water, along with 19,000 liters of domestic water to affected communities. To uphold the dignity of the affected communities, hygiene parcels for families, specialized hygiene kits for men, and dignity kits for women were distributed in various affected regions, including Rakhine, Magway, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Bago, and Mandalay. Around 6,985 individuals were reached with these items. Additionally, MRCS distributed 112 sets of children's clothing to support affected children. MRCS's mobile health clinics in Rakhine have provided assistance to 1,616 individuals since it started on 17 May.
Operational coordination meetings are regularly organized in collaboration with the IFRC, involving in-country partners and the ICRC, to provide technical and planning support to MRCS for the response. MRCS, IFRC and ICRC meet in Movement tripartite meetings at a strategic level. The regular tripartite security cell meetings are being used for regular risk analysis and security planning. Moreover, MRCS and IFRC are observers in HCT meetings and Cluster coordination as part of their external coordination efforts.
IFRC together with MRCS have been actively engaging the IFRC network, both in-country and remotely, to work on a Federation-wide approach. The development of the Federation-wide Operational Strategy involved a shared leadership approach, drawing upon the expertise of the IFRC network and past experiences from drafting the Unified Plan and the ongoing New Way of Working. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are also coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline communication and reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC network. In addition, the IFRC network had mobilized three rapid response personnel (surge) for the operation, including for the combined Myanmar Shelter/ NFI/ CCCM Clusterto enhance and complement the existing coordination structure. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are also coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline communication and reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC network.
In order to provide ongoing assistance to the MRCS in Rakhine state, which is most severely affected by cyclone Mocha, the IFRC Myanmar Delegation deployed a Senior Services Manager for two weeks and Senior Operations Officer for two weeks. Future deployments by IFRC country delegation staff are planned. Their presence allows for support to the MRCS, as well as participation in the coordination structures at Rakhine state level. The IFRC is contributing to MRCS-led collaborative efforts to develop and execute a comprehensive assistance plan..."
Source/publisher:
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-06-23
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"The European Union is releasing €100,000 (over 220 million Myanmar kyats) on top of the previously allocated aid funds to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by cyclone Mocha that struck Myanmar in late March
The European Union is releasing €100,000 (over 220 million Myanmar kyats) on top of the previously allocated aid funds to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by cyclone Mocha that struck Myanmar in late March. In the immediate aftermath of the emergency, the European Union allocated €2.5 million in humanitarian aid to provide prompt assistance in response to cyclone Mocha’s impact on Myanmar and Bangladesh. This additional allocation will benefit over 37,000 people in the worst-hit areas, especially those in Chin and Rakhine states, as well as the Ayeryawaddy, Magway and Sagaing regions.
This EU funding will support the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) in delivering immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency shelter items, primary healthcare assistance, cash grants and hygiene kits. The aid will also increase access to clean water supplies and sanitation facilities to enable communities to maintain their good hygiene practices whilst recovering. As vector- and water-borne diseases are common in the aftermath of monsoon flooding, awareness-raising sessions on these will also be conducted.
The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
More than 140 people were killed and approximately 3.4 million people were affected when the powerful cyclone Mocha made landfall in the capital of Rakhine state, Sittwe, in mid-May. Packing wind gusts of up to 250 kilometres per hour, the storm triggered strong winds and heavy rainfall that inundated several homes and public facilities and infrastructure, including healthcare centres, sanitation facilities, roads and airports.
Background
The European Union, together with its Member States, is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises.
Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the European Union helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO's website.
The European Commission has signed a €3 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.
The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million..."
Source/publisher:
European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
Date of publication:
2023-06-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"On 14 May 2023, Cyclone Mocha slammed into western Myanmar and hit other parts of Myanmar and Bangladesh with wind speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour – making it one of the strongest cyclones to ever make landfall in Myanmar. Cyclone Mocha destroyed homes and infrastructure in affected regions, most severely in the Rakhine State townships of Rathedaung and in Sittwe. While the death toll is difficult to verify independently due to lack of access, at least one hundred Rohingya people living in internment camps in Sittwe were said to be killed by the cyclone, with the number likely to be much higher. Many were also injured..."
Source/publisher:
Amnesty International (UK)
Date of publication:
2023-06-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Amnesty International reports on Burma/Myanmar, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Human Rights and international relations
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"JAKARTA – The Myanmar junta’s inadequate and discriminatory response to Cyclone Mocha must prompt ASEAN, ASEAN member states, and the wider international community to bypass the junta and provide more aid and support through local ethnic and civil society organizations, parliamentarians from Southeast Asia said today.
One month has passed since Cyclone Mocha landed and caused devastation in western Myanmar on 14 June 2023. Since then, at least 145 people and likely hundreds more have been killed with many more injured and suffering from a lack of food, clean water and shelter. At least 1.6 million people were affected by the hurricane in Chin, Sagaing, Magway, Kachin, and Rakhine, which has a large Rohingya Muslim community that has long been the target of discrimination and persecution.
“We are deeply concerned about the welfare of Cyclone Mocha survivors, especially those located in ethnic minority regions,” APHR Chairperson and member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Mercy Barends said today. “Vulnerable communities such as the Rohingya are once again the victims of the junta’s incompetence and callous disregard for human life.”
The Myanmar junta’s failure to respond promptly and effectively to the cyclone has left the lives of thousands in limbo. Their negligence has been compounded by the absurd decision to block access to Rakhine state for aid workers and humanitarian groups, including the United Nations, in clear violation of humanitarian norms and international human rights laws. The junta has made their bad faith clear by the use of racist language in state-run media, calling the Rohingya in Rakhine state ‘Bengalis.’
Meanwhile Chin, Sagaing, and Magway have all been the target of a devastating campaign of airstrikes, raids, and arson by the Myanmar junta in recent months, and residents have even alleged that the military conducted attacks while the cyclone was happening.
Myanmar’s past history with natural disasters and health crises show that this type of ineffective and at times malicious response is unfortunately nothing new.
During the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, the Myanmar military largely rejected the assistance of international relief efforts. It prolonged response times by “delaying the issuance of visas to aid workers, prohibiting foreign helicopters and boats from making deliveries to support the relief operation, obstructing travel by aid agencies to affected areas, and preventing local and international media.”
In the same vein, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the military weaponized the virus by attempting to control the population, attacking medics and first responders while also prioritizing their own access to personal protective equipment and other key COVID-19 supplies.
In stark contrast, ethnic revolutionary organizations (EROs) and humanitarian responders have proven integral to the disaster response so far. Days after the cyclone hit, the Arakan Army and the United League of Arakan formed the Cyclone Mocha Emergency Rescue and Rehabilitation Committee for Arakan. The Arakan Army also assisted with relocation efforts for approximately 100,000 civilians before the storm hit. Other EROs and the National Unity Government (NUG) have also donated significant funds to the relief effort.
“Past experience has shown that the Myanmar military’s response to any crisis is inept at best and inhumane at worst. The junta clearly cannot be trusted to facilitate any form of aid, and certainly not in regions where it has only weeks ago conducted brutal airstrikes,” said Barends. “Donor countries and institutions should urgently divert their aid to local ethnic and civil society organizations that have a proven track record of helping those most in need. Failure to do so would be a grave disservice to the thousands of people that have fallen victim not only to a deadly disaster, but also to a murderous authoritarian regime.”..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
Date of publication:
2023-06-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma
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Description:
"Reporting period: 01-07 June 2023
5 states and regions affected: Rakhine, Northwest (Chin, Magway & Sagaing), Kachin
429K people targeted for humanitarian health assistance (55% women, 18% children under 18)
HIGHLIGHTS
Near one month after the cyclone has crossed Myanmar land, the health response is expanding. Much wider access is critical to reach the 429K people in dire need for Health Assistance.
The response relies on rapid response team and mobile clinics under emergency approval – supported by health partners. It relies also on mobile clinics under routine approval. They provide both clinical care and health education to the communities.
Health partners are currently participating to the multisectoral field observations in Rakhine and Northwest, for better understanding of the situation.
Rakhine
Most of the health partners IDP camp mobile clinics in Sittwe have been damaged due to cyclone. The partners are currently implementing in improvised sites like churches, private homes etc. A working group is being created in Sittwe with relevant partners to explore alternative set-up to deliver healthcare services in an efficient manner.
At the publication on 9 June, a directive was circulating about the withdrawal of all approved authorizations to partners in Rakhine. If applied, the measure will impact substantially on the provision of health services from partners.
Northwest (Chin, Magway & Sagaing)
The situation is unchanged from the past 2 weeks, where field observations have reported 9 rural health centres been impacted, most completely damaged with impact on health provision.
Kachin
The situation is unchanged in Kachin for the past 2 weeks, where the 2 health clinics have been restored by the communities..."
Source/publisher:
Health Cluster and World Health Organization
Date of publication:
2023-06-09
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-13
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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Sub-title:
UN, Donors Should Urge Protection, Freedom of Movement on Bhasan Char
Description:
"(New York) – The Bangladesh government has relocated nearly 20,000 Rohingya refugees to a remote island without adequate health care, livelihoods, or protection, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The United Nations and donor governments should urgently call for an independent assessment of the safety, disaster preparedness, and habitability at Bhasan Char during the impending monsoon season and beyond.
The 58-page report, “‘An Island Jail in the Middle of the Sea’: Bangladesh’s Relocation of Rohingya Refugees to Bhasan Char,” finds that Bangladesh authorities transferred many refugees to the island without full, informed consent and have prevented them from returning to the mainland. While the government says it wants to move at least 100,000 people to the silt island in the Bay of Bengal to ease overcrowding in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, humanitarian experts have raised concerns that insufficient measures are in place to protect against severe cyclones and tidal surges. Refugees on the island reported inadequate health care and education, onerous movement restrictions, food shortages, a lack of livelihood opportunities, and abuses by security forces.
“The Bangladesh government is finding it hard to cope with over a million Rohingya refugees, but forcing people to a remote island just creates new problems,” said Bill Frelick, refugee and migrant rights director. “International donors should assist the Rohingya, but also insist that Bangladesh return refugees who want to return to the mainland or if experts say island conditions are too dangerous or unsustainable.”
Human Rights Watch interviewed 167 Rohingya refugees between May 2020 and May 2021, including 117 on Bhasan Char and 50 in Cox’s Bazar, 30 of whom were later relocated to Bhasan Char.
Primary responsibility for the Rohingya’s situation lies with Myanmar. On August 25, 2017, the military began a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims involving mass killing, rape, and arson that forced over 740,000 to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, which was already hosting an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 unregistered Rohingya refugees who had fled previous persecution. Myanmar has failed to end widespread abuses against the Rohingya and has refused to create conditions for their safe, dignified, and voluntary return.
While Bangladesh commendably opened its borders to the Rohingya, the authorities have not made camp conditions truly hospitable, increasing pressure to relocate to Bhasan Char. The authorities shut down internet access for almost a year in the refugee camps, denied formal education to children, and built barbed wire fencing restricting movement and access to emergency services. Security forces face allegations of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
In May 2020, Bangladesh first brought over 300 Rohingya refugees rescued at sea to Bhasan Char. Although the government initially said they were being quarantined on the island to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the camps, they have yet to be reunited with their families. In December, Bangladesh authorities started relocating thousands of refugees from the camps to the island, reneging on promises to allow an independent technical assessment of the protection needs, safety, and habitability on the island.
Now, after an 18-member United Nations team was taken to see the island from March 17 to 20, the authorities are pressuring the UN to start delivering humanitarian assistance. Refugees said that during the UN visit they were only allowed to speak in the presence of Bangladesh government officials and were compelled to make it appear there were no problems on the island.
On May 31, 2021, thousands of refugees gathered to try and meet with a delegation of UN officials that were visiting Bhasan Char and to protest conditions, many saying that they do not want to remain on the island. Bangladesh authorities had earlier warned the Rohingya against complaining, some refugees told Human Rights Watch. There were clashes with security forces after the refugees disregarded those instructions, eyewitnesses said, and several Rohingya, including women and children, were injured.
The Bangladesh government should urgently begin consultations with UN officials to discuss any future humanitarian operational engagement on Bhasan Char, Human Rights Watch said. The authorities should also act on recommendations by the UN after their visit to improve the wellbeing, safety, and protection of Rohingya refugees already on the island.
The Bangladesh government has informed Human Rights Watch in a letter that it had “ensured adequate supply of food along with proper sanitation and medical facilities for Rohingyas on Bhasan Char” and that all relocations were based on informed consent. However, refugees widely refuted these claims. A 53-year-old man said he went into hiding to avoid being transported after the camp administrator threatened him: “He said, even if I die, they will take my body there. I don’t want to go to that island.” Others said they volunteered based on false promises.
Refugees also described the inadequate health facilities on the island. Human Rights Watch interviewed 14 people who said they had sought treatment for a range of conditions, including asthma, pain, fever, arthritis, diabetes, ulcers, and malaria, but most were handed paracetamol (acetaminophen) tablets and sent away. Four of the fourteen later died, as a result of inadequate emergency health care, their family members believe.
The island has no emergency medical care services. If referred by a doctor and permitted by the island authorities, refugees have to travel three hours by boat and then two hours by road to the nearest mainland hospital for emergency care. This includes pregnant women needing lifesaving medical intervention. A refugee who lost his wife during childbirth said that after complications, when doctors recommended moving her to a mainland hospital, getting permission took two hours, by which time she had died.
Refugees said that they were promised teachers, schools, and formal accredited education for their children on the island. However, an aid worker said that although an estimated 8,495 children are on Bhasan Char “at best four NGOs are providing education to no more than 1,500 children.”
Mizan, 35, said the education her 7- and 9-year-old daughters were receiving was actually less than in the camps: “We have been here now for six months and my daughters brought all their belongings, bags, and books, to continue studying, but there aren’t even learning centers here.”
With monsoon season due to start in June, the island is at risk from high winds and flooding. Embankments around the island are still likely inadequate to withstand a category three storm or worse. Although the government says that there are adequate storm shelters, there is the risk that refugees, Bangladeshi security personnel, and humanitarian workers, could end up marooned on the island with limited supplies as sea or air transport are restricted in inclement weather. The authorities stopped a recent relocation to Bhasan Char due to the bad weather.
“Putting unwilling refugees on a remote, low-lying island where cyclones are common is a bad idea,” Frelick said. “Rohingya refugees who have lost and suffered so much need to be treated with dignity and respect for their safety and well-being and be allowed to make informed, voluntary choices about their living conditions until long-term solutions can be found.”
Accounts by Refugees
All refugees quoted are identified by a pseudonym given the high risk of retribution by Bangladesh authorities for speaking out about the conditions on Bhasan Char.
Informed Consent, Freedom of Movement, Livelihoods
Taslima, who is living in Cox’s Bazar but whose 13-year-old son is on Bhasan Char after being rescued at sea in May 2020, said:
My son has been confined on Bhasan Char for one year. He is not even an adult. My son kept asking the navy officials to send him back to the camps, but every time he is given false promises. I also contacted the CiC [Camp-in-Charge, an administrator] here in the camp to get my son back but they said the only way I can meet my son is if I relocate to Bhasan Char. But my son keeps telling me not to go over there because it is like a jail.
Yusuf Ali, 43, who also lives in Cox’s Bazar and whose two daughters are being held on Bhasan Char, said, “the CiC told us that our daughters would never be returned to us here. They said ‘You still have time to choose to go there [to Bhasan Char], otherwise forget about your children.’”
Anjul, 40, a refugee on Bhasan Char, said:
They trapped us with promises of good food and plenty of livelihood opportunities, like tending livestock or fishing. Most important, when we boarded the bus they gave us 5,000 taka [US$60] each, promising that we would be given 5,000 taka each month. But after arriving, there are no such opportunities, and now we are facing a food shortage.
He said that when the refugees left for Bhasan Char, some officials falsely assured them that they would be able to travel freely between the island and mainland, but that was not happening. “My older parents are in the camps. I would at least want to attend their funeral,” he said. “But even that will not be possible as long as I am held here.”
Inadequate Health Care
Amdad’s 18-month-old daughter died of pneumonia less than a month after arriving on Bhasan Char. He said that the child had developed pneumonia while they were still in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, but there they were able to get oxygen at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital. He said that when they arrived on Bhasan Char, his daughter again began having trouble breathing, the doctors rebuffed his concerns:
[O]n March 11, [my daughter] was having the breathing problem again and I rushed her to the government healthcare facility here. The doctor prescribed a cough syrup and sent us back home, but she did not improve. The next morning, I took her to the healthcare facility again and requested that the doctor give her oxygen support since I could see the cylinder in his office, and she had received that cure back in the camps. I even tried to show him the prescription that the MSF doctors had provided for her, but he refused to look. He said to me, “Do you think we are sitting here with enough oxygen to support your daughter? I am giving her more medicines, she will be fine,” and asked us to leave the healthcare facility. Soon after I came back to my shelter, her situation deteriorated. After two hours my daughter died.
Amdad said that after his daughter died the authorities came to his shelter and took away all documentation of her medical history including documentation from MSF, and they refused to issue a death certificate.
The husband of Bibi, 58, died from complications after being denied respiratory support and asthma medication:
I took my husband to the healthcare facility here three to four times. They could not give proper treatment or medication. The last time I took him to the healthcare facility when his situation deteriorated again, I requested the medical staff to take us outside the island or take us back to Cox’s Bazar to go to the MSF hospital or Turkish hospital, but they did not allow it. Instead, they discharged my husband from the healthcare facility and said he would recover at home. He died the next morning.
Zubair, 62, who arrived on Bhasan Char in February, suffered from a stomach ulcer, digestive difficulties, and severe abdominal bloating. “While I was in the camp [in Cox’s Bazar], aid workers would come to my shelter to give health care because I am an older person and I cannot go to the healthcare facility on my own. Sometimes those volunteers helped take me to the MSF hospital or IOM hospital where I could get medicine or treatment, which would help most of the time.” But when Zubair went to the healthcare facility on Bhasan Char, the medicine they offered did not help. The health workers recommended that he be transferred to a hospital on the mainland, but that he would have to pay. He said:
I went to the healthcare facility here after 10 to 15 days of arrival with severe pain in the abdomen. The doctors here prescribed some medicines. When there was no progress and I was unable to move any more, family members and neighbors helped me to get to the healthcare facility twice. But the doctors gave me the same medicines. The last time I went to the healthcare facility, they told me to come up with the money to go to the hospital in Noakhali [on the mainland] as my situation had deteriorated very badly. I do not have my own money and I feel shy to ask for help from the neighbors. It’s better now I die here with my family..."
Source/publisher:
Human Rights Watch (USA)
Date of publication:
2023-06-07
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya, Rohingya (cultural, political etc.), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Burmese refugees in Bangladesh
Language:
more
Description:
"HIGHLIGHTS
In the 3rd week of Tropical Cyclone Mocha Response, we are seeing some improvement in the health sector where health facilities are being restored with remaining access limitation for the people in need, due to damaged roads, damaged transport means etc.
Rakhine
• Early observations and reports demonstrate large variation in the building condition of health facilities and the health service provision in the 10 most affected townships.
• Observations are informing that eight out of 16 township hospitals have experienced some damage to the building. While electricity and water are available, in nine hospitals out of 16, it is available with the support of generators – with huge demand for fuel.
• The demand is reported to be reduced, and access limited because of the challenges for people in need to physically access the health facilities because of damaged roads, damaged transport means etc.
Northwest (Chin, Magway & Sagaing)
• The situation in Northwest remains unchanged in 3rd week of Cyclone Mocha, where field observations have reported 9 rural health centres been impacted, most completely damaged with impact on health provision.
Kachin
• Field observations are reporting that the damaged infrastructure in Waingmaw and in Mansi townships by cyclone Mocha have been restored by the communities..."
Source/publisher:
Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-06-02
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma
Language:
Format :
pdf
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155.69 KB
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Description:
"This is the US Campaign for Burma’s 28th monthly On-The-Ground in Burma briefer! This month’s briefer will discuss the devastation following Cyclone Mocha and the struggle of civilians in impacted areas. This briefer also features an interview with a resettled refugee in the U.S.
This month’s briefer includes:
May highlights
An analysis on the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha and the difficulties of those in impacted areas
Four major policy recommendations
A feature interview with a resettled refugee in the U.S.
An overview of IDP issues and rights abuses in each ethnic state and central Burma
As the conflict escalates in Burma between the pro-junta militias, anti-coup forces, and the military, so has the violence and rights deprivations in ethnic regions and central Burma. Without strong tangible action, the Burmese junta will continue to commit crimes against humanity with impunity..."
Source/publisher:
US Campaign for Burma
Date of publication:
2023-06-07
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
2021 Burma/Myanmar coup d'état, Politics and Government - global and regional - general studies, strategies, theory, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.35 MB
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Description:
"The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has mobilized humanitarian response to support the emergency relief efforts in Myanmar due to the severe impact of Cyclone MOCHA. As of 2 June 2023, the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) has handed over relief items for the affected communities in the townships of Sittwe, Rathedaung, KyaukTaw, and Ponnagyun. ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) has also concluded their initial needs assessment in the affected areas in Myanmar on 30 May 2023.
The AHA Centre will mobilize the final two batches of relief items on 16 and 22 June 2023 by sea. The final batches, consist of non-food items and water and sanitation hygiene kits, are expected to arrive in Myanmar on 20 and 27 June 2023. ASEAN has also commenced internal discussion on possible ASEAN’s supports for recovery phase based on assessment from ASEAN ERAT Team.
ASEAN’s first batch of humanitarian response arrived in Myanmar on 21 May 2023 and was among the first emergency support received by the affected communities. Relief items mobilized to Myanmar from the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) warehouse in Subang, Malaysia, include non-food items such as shelter tools and kits and water sanitation and hygiene with a total worth of 1.64 million USD.
The humanitarian assistance for Cyclone MOCHA reflects solidarity of ASEAN to the people of Myanmar..."
Source/publisher:
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Date of publication:
2023-06-06
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-06
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
ASEAN-Burma relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma
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pdf
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195.48 KB
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Description:
"1. On June 6, the Government of Japan decided to extend Emergency Grant Aid of USD 2 million to Myanmar and Bangladesh affected by Cyclone Mocha on May 14.
2. The western part of Myanmar and the Cox's Bazar district where displaced persons camps are located and other areas of Bangladesh have been severely affected by Cyclone Mocha and its subsequent flood. This Emergency Grant Aid is to provide assistance in the areas of food, water and sanitation, and shelter through the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
(Reference)Breakdown of the Emergency Grant Aid
1. Myanmar
(1) WFP: Food [USD 1 million]
(2) ICRC: Water and sanitation, shelter [USD 500,000]
2. Bangladesh
IOM: Water and sanitation [USD 500,000]..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Japan
Date of publication:
2023-06-06
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-06
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
2021 Burma/Myanmar coup d'état, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
more
Description:
"Glide No: TC-2023-000069-MMR
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
Cyclone Storm Mocha has caused extensive devastation in the country, affecting regions already facing challenges due to civil unrest, armed clashes, a changing climate and a fragile economy. The cyclone brought about destructive storm surges, heavy rainfall, and flooding, impacting areas such as Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Sagaing.
The State Administration Council responded by declaring natural disaster areas in Rakhine and Chin states, activating legal provisions which acknowledge the crucial role of the Myanmar Red Cross Society in responding such crises. Initial data from the Myanmar Red Cross Society reveals that over 237,000 households across multiple states and regions have been affected. Water systems, sanitation facilities, public and community infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and religious buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure, have suffered severe damage or complete destruction. Livelihoods have been severely disrupted with the loss of livestock and flooding impacting cropland.
Notably, housing has also been significantly affected, with a large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. The cyclone's aftermath has led to increased prices of basic goods, and the situation has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the affected population. Disrupted access to healthcare, medicine shortages, and the risks posed by landmines in flooded conflict areas further exacerbate the challenges. Urgent measures are required to protect and support unaccompanied children.
Summary of response
Overview of the host National Society and ongoing response
The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) is an independent humanitarian organization that operates impartially and neutrally. Its role as an auxiliary to the state in the humanitarian field, operating in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, is stated in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015. The MRCS has a strong presence with over a thousand trained Emergency Response Team (ERT) volunteers and 44,000 members nationwide, including 7,994 core Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) active at the community level. The organization has 23 warehouses strategically located throughout the country to support preparedness and response efforts. It also has regional and state branches across the country, and a substantial presence in various operational hubs in Rakhine State, under the management of the MRCS Rakhine Operations Management Unit established since several years.
The MRCS has established communication channels and built relationships with local authorities and communities in the affected areas through its local staff, volunteers, and branches. This enables them to reach vulnerable communities and provide immediate humanitarian assistance. Through its community presence, MRCS has access on the ground and has collected data as well as assessed the impact of Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State and Magway and Ayeyarwady regions in particular.
In anticipation of the cyclone, the MRCS activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) one week before landfall and initiated preparedness measures and early actions well in advance. Prior to landfall, MRCS volunteers in the projected path and impact zone assisted with evacuations, conducted awareness campaigns, and gathered preliminary data. After the cyclone made landfall, on 14 May, MRCS branches mobilized their volunteers to engage in rescue operations, clear roads and debris, provide first aid and psychosocial support, and collect initial observations and data. MRCS also mobilized its existing operational resources to respond to the aftermath, deploying trained expert personnel to directly provide assistance and provide support services such as logistics and supply chain.
MRCS has conducted three Movement tripartite meetings thus far. Additionally, four operational coordination meetings were organized in collaboration with the IFRC, involving in-country partners and the ICRC, to provide technical and planning support to MRCS for the response. This Emergency Appeal is part of a Federation-wide approach, based on the response priorities of the MRCS and in consultation with all IFRC members contributing to the response, requiring regular planning and coordination. To ensure regular risk analysis and security planning, tripartite security cell meetings have been established. Moreover, MRCS and IFRC actively participate in HCT meetings and Cluster coordination as part of their external coordination efforts.
In order to provide ongoing assistance to the MRCS in Rakhine state which is most severely affected by cyclone Mocha, the IFRC Myanmar Delegation has deployed a Senior Service Manager and Senior Operations Officer who are currently stationed in the area. Their presence allows for direct involvement in the coordination structures at Rakhine state level, where they actively participate in collaborative efforts to develop and execute a comprehensive assistance plan.
Apart from assisting the MRCS with the Cyclone Mocha response under the Federation-wide appeal, the Partner National Societies within the country, as well as those actively supporting remotely, expressed their readiness to support a range of programs, including basic needs assistance, protection, and MHPSS. These programs will be implemented in a coordinated manner, aligning with the MRCS Strategic Plan and Unified Plan and operating under shared leadership, since some Partner National Societies have shown interest sharing leadership in specific areas or sectors based on their expertise..."
Source/publisher:
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-06-03
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-03
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.67 MB
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Description:
"HIGHLIGHTS
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s Rakhine State with force on 14 May 2023, making impact close to its capital, Sittwe. This was one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in Myanmar, with windspeeds of up to 250 kmph.
IOM launched its Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal on 26 May 2023, requesting USD 11.25 million to target 75,000 people with life-saving humanitarian assistance. IOM’s Flash Appeal is fully aligned with the Inter-Agency Flash Appeal.
IOM Mobile Clinics have so far seen 1,094 patients in Rakhine State, while negotiations for broader access are ongoing.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
It has been almost three weeks since Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha made landfall near Sittwe, Rakhine State, on 14 May 2023, bringing winds of up to 250 kmph. It was one of the strongest cyclones ever to hit the country. As the monsoon season approaches, humanitarian actors are working to rapidly respond to humanitarian needs. Safe shelter remains a key priority, along with health assistance, clean water, safe and functional sanitation facilities, non-food items (NFIs) and food assistance.
Aid organizations have been working to deliver assistance where possible, as well as to bring stocks of needed items to Rakhine from Yangon, as markets in the affected areas are struggling to meet demand and prices of key commodities have skyrocketed. However, the many political and bureaucratic challenges in Myanmar are limiting the movement of relief items into and around the country, while wider access to transport humanitarian supplies and movement of responders is urgently needed.
There continues to be obstacles to the roll out of comprehensive inter-agency needs assessment, due to bureaucratic impediments, limited access in specific areas due to the ongoing conflict and logistical barriers. With telecommunications and electricity not yet fully restored, information remains limited. However, some sectoral information has started to emerge from partners who were already on the ground, highlighting shelter, NFIs, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and food as the key priority sectors for the response.
Shelter/NFI: Initial estimates that up to 90 per cent of houses in Rakhine have been unroofed are particularly worrying as wetter and warmer conditions are predicted for affected regions for the next week. Markets are heavily disrupted while large scale shelter and NFI assistance has not been able to reach affected areas yet due to the abovementioned constraints.
Health: Most health facilities in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Pauktaw, and Sittwe townships in Rakhine, where IOM is implementing health programs, were damaged and most remain non-functional. Teams report that traumatic injury cases remain common but lesser in number compared to the first week. Other common morbidities diagnosed include acute viral infection (AVI), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), diarrhoea, and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
WASH: Cluster partners in Rakhine have reported that over 200 water sources were flooded by seawater, affecting over 100,000 people in seven townships. According to WASH Cluster partners active in the Northwest, around 700 households in Chin, 4,800 households in Magway, and 2,800 households in Sagaing have been affected.
These figures are strictly indicative and are expected to continue to rise, particularly considering the mentioned obstacles to comprehensive assessments.
Food: In Rakhine, initial field observations make clear that seawater has devastated agricultural land and that livestock and food stocks have been destroyed at large scale, affecting both immediate food needs and longerterm food security..."
Source/publisher:
International Organization for Migration ( Switzerland) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-06-02
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-02
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
IOM Burma/Myanmar, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
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713.14 KB
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Title: Urgent support needed to prevent worsening impacts of Cyclone Mocha on health and livelihoods
Description:
"Following the widespread devastation of Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar, it is now a race against time to aid people in need and prevent the spread of disease.
Over 235,000 households are estimated to have been affected by winds of up to 250km/h, storm surges, flash floods and landslides brought by the cyclone, which was the strongest in the Bay of Bengal in the last decade.
In Rakhine and Chin States, and Magway, Sagaing, and Ayeyarwaddy regions in the southwest of Myanmar, homes, livelihoods, and public and private infrastructure have been destroyed. In the northwest, access challenges, ongoing clashes and fighting, and communications restrictions are limiting the ability of humanitarian organisations to obtain a full picture of the damage and respond accordingly.
Myanmar Red Cross has access to communities through its branches and volunteers present in hundreds of townships, including Rakhine, Magway, Chin and Ayeryawaddy. Over 960 volunteers are currently on the ground in affected areas, identifying needs, and providing emergency relief, healthcare, and safe drinking water.
As of 29 May 2023, the Myanmar Red Cross had reached over 75,000 people with a multi-sectoral humanitarian response. Dozens of thousands have received access to safe drinking water, more than 900 people received healthcare through mobile clinics, more than 1,300 people received health education, more than 1,000 were provided with dignity kits, 700 families were provided with tarpaulins to help shelter from wind and rain, and more than 400 families were provided with kitchen sets.
Director of the Myanmar Red Cross Rakhine Operations Management Unit, Aye Aye Nyein said: “Together with our volunteers and staff from Rakhine State Red Cross Branch, we have provided assistance such as early warning and relocation of the most vulnerable communities and we are providing relief aid, safe water and medical assistance with our mobile clinics team in Sittwe and neighboring areas."
“In Rakhine State, we will initially be focusing on the most affected five townships of Sittwe, Rathedaung, Ponnarkyun, Kyauktaw and Pauktaw and plan to extend our assistance further under the guidance and principles of our leadership and in coordination with Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and other partners.”
Shelter, basic needs, and livelihoods are now a priority. Access to clean water, food, first aid, primary healthcare and cash assistance for the affected communities is urgently needed.
IFRC Disaster Risk Management Delegate, Rajeev K.C. said:
“Affecting populations with significant pre-existing vulnerabilities, Cyclone Mocha has put more people at risk and in immediate need of shelter, water, and sanitation services. We already see the possibilities of disease transmission emerging, so immediate hygiene and health services assistance is required.”
Myanmar Red Cross has established communications channels with relevant stakeholders on the ground and is seeking access to affected people in need. It is engaged with the authorities in order to fulfill its mandate while maintaining neutrality, impartiality, and independence from the government. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal along with its members, to support the response of the Myanmar Red Cross, focusing on relief provisions and early recovery assistance in Myanmar's hardest-hit areas to the 7,500 most vulnerable households (37,500 people) for the next 12 months, particularly in the most affected areas of Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeryawaddy, and Sagaing..."
Source/publisher:
International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (Geneva)
Date of publication:
2023-06-01
Date of entry/update:
2023-06-01
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Public Health, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
more
Description:
"HIGHLIGHTS:
Tropical Cyclone Mocha has affected over 3.4 million people in affected areas.
The flash appeal for the cyclone affected is at 333 million USD.
Clearing work has begun in Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Kachin and Sagaing.
ADRA completed its Rapid Needs Assessment in Sittwe and Kyauktaw Townships in the Rakhine State.
ADRA’s Response plan includes provision of Tarpaulins and Food items to most impacted communities in Kyauktaw and Sittwe..."
Source/publisher:
Adventist Development and Relief Agency International
Date of publication:
2023-05-22
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-31
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.48 MB
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Description:
"This rapid Market Snapshot presents data to support Cyclone Mocha disaster response efforts. Data were collected through observation and KIIs during May 23-24, 2023. Reports available at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit.
KEY FINDINGS
Market damage remained a major concern for vendors ten days after Cyclone Mocha made landfall;
Market operations in Rathedaung and Pauktaw were particularly limited;
Plastic tarp prices were up 200-300% across markets, and many shelter materials were still in short supply;
Food prices were far more stable than NFI prices, al-though rice prices were increasing somewhat;
Metal roofing, nails and tarps were understocked, with demand outpacing retailer's ability to resupply;
Retailers lacked access to suppliers, and poor transportation/communication networks inhibited restocking;
Both in-kind and cash assistance remain important aid modalities as the speed and degree of market and Supply chain recovery continues to vary by location..."
Source/publisher:
Mercy Corps ( Portland, Oregon, United States) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-31
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-31
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
669.66 KB
Local URL:
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Description:
"On 31 May 2023, H.E. Mr. Don Paramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, designated Mr. Chatchai Viriyavejakul, Director-General of Department of East Asian Affairs, to be his representative at the humanitarian aid delivery ceremony to assist the Myanmar people affected by Cyclone Mocha. Representatives of PTT Public Company Limited, Ohmmy Jelly Company Limited, Garuda Gold Social Enterprise Company Limited and Suan Dusit Home Bakery Committee, Suan Dusit University, delivered the relief items, through H.E. U Chit Swe, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to Thailand, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Thailand is scheduled to deliver additional humanitarian aid from the public and private sectors, consisting of dried foods and other necessary items, for the Myanmar people affected by Cyclone Mocha on 1 June 2023. The delivery will be transported by land from Bangkok to Yangon, with the support from the Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Thai-Myanmar Association for Friendship..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Thailand
Date of publication:
2023-05-31
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-31
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
more
Description:
"UNHCR and its partners continue to respond to the devastating impact of Cyclone Mocha, which affected millions of people in Myanmar and Bangladesh, destroying homes and infrastructures. UNHCR declared an internal Level-2 emergency on 29 May for Myanmar and Bangladesh to mobilize further internal capacity to respond to this new emergency.
In Myanmar, UNHCR is supporting response and coordination efforts as part of the United Nations Humanitarian Country Team. Latest reports indicate that an estimated 7.9 million people were in the path of over 90km per hour winds, damaging houses and infrastructure. 3.4 million are estimated to be need of humanitarian assistance. Rakhine State bore the brunt of the cyclone.
In Bangladesh, some 2.3 million people were residing in areas affected by the cyclone. UNHCR is supporting the government-led response and is working closely with the humanitarian community via the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), displaced and host communities, as well as community leaders and volunteers.
Inter-agency Flash appeals were issued for both Myanmar and Bangladesh on 23 May, building on the existing Humanitarian Response Plan for Myanmar and the Joint Response Plan for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh..."
Source/publisher:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-30
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
769.6 KB
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Description:
"1. SUMMARY
UPDATED SITUATIONS.
Weeks after Tropical cyclone MOCHA impacted Myanmar, the actual condition of the affected areas has become clearer. According to the analysis of earth observation satellite images as well as ongoing rapid assessments on the ground, damages are confirmed to be 80-90% of buildings in the affected areas, especially in Sittwe and Rathedaung in Rakhine State, Myanmar. On-the-ground assessments conducted between 22 to 25 May 2023 by ASEAN-ERAT validated some of the damages that have been identified in Rakhine State, Myanmar (Annex 1, 2, 3, and 4). In agreement, data from the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) show an increase in confirmed structural damages as well as livestock lost due to the cyclone. According to the latest information from Disaster Management Centre (DMC) as of 29 May 2023, there have been improvements in the overall condition particularly in Rakhine such as reconstruction for the education sector is at 51% and the health sector is 36%. The telecommunication network coverage in Rakhine also has regained 91%. However, particularly on education sectors and health sectors, reconstruction for the damaged school and other health facilities are still needed. Some of the problems also still exists in the affected areas such as access to power, water, and usual food sources, as utility lines remain damaged, and access to usual food sources is limited. Lastly, according to the information from DMC, there are no more people in the shelters who were evacuated in Rakhine State, all the evacuees due to TC MOCHA had already returned to their places.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
a. On 28 May, the ASEAN-ERAT held a meeting to present the results of the ASEAN-ERAT rapid assessment to Myanmar Authorities. During the meeting, ASEAN-ERAT also presented the findings and recommendations of the assessment in the affected areas by Tropical Cyclone MOCHA. On 29 May, the ASEAN-ERAT departed for Yangon, Myanmar and further demobilised and departed for their home countries on 30 May through Yangon International Airport.
b. The AHA Centre mobilised Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) relief items in response to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA in Myanmar since 21 May. A total of 221K USD worth of relief items in the form of jerry cans, shelter repair kits, toolkit shelters, tarpaulins, family tents, and kitchen sets have arrived in Yangon, Myanmar for further distribution to the affected community. The AHA Centre is working on mobilising additional items from the DELSA Warehouse in Subang, Malaysia.
c. A total of 17 townships in Rakhine State and 4 townships in Chin State have been declared by the Myanmar Authorities as Natural Disaster-affected areas due to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-30
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
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Size:
867.77 KB
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Description:
"SITTWE – WFP and its local partners have reached over 230,000 people with life-saving food assistance in the wake of Cyclone Mocha, the most destructive storm to strike Myanmar in over a decade. Within 72 hours after landfall on 14 May, WFP began food distributions in Sittwe, Rakhine’s state capital, which suffered considerable damage. The cyclone has flattened houses, destroyed livelihoods, and disrupted telecommunications, power, and supply chains. “This is a climate emergency within a much larger complex emergency. Being already displaced, cyclone survivors now have been left with next to nothing, rendering them even more vulnerable,” said Stephen Anderson, WFP Country Director in Myanmar. “WFP and partners are moving quickly to transport and distribute our existing stocks of food to all those in need wherever they are, but these supplies are rapidly dwindling. Support from the international community is urgently required.”
Here is an update on WFP’s response in the aftermath of the cyclone:
So far, WFP and partners have supported over 230,000 cyclone-affected people with life-saving food assistance in Rakhine state and Magway region.
This includes families previously displaced by conflict and Rohingya communities living in camps in central Rakhine and villages in northern Rakhine.
WFP food assistance has so far reached affected people in Kyauktaw, Kyaukphyu, Mrauk-U, Myaebon, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung and Sittwe townships in central Rakhine and Buthidaung and Maungdaw in northern Rakhine, with plans to expand.
WFP is mobilizing resources to provide 800,000 people with emergency food and cash for an initial three months in areas devastated by Cyclone Mocha.
WFP is appealing for US$60 million to deliver emergency food and nutrition assistance to 2.1 million highly food-insecure people until the end of the year throughout the country. This includes US$ 23 million just to support 440,000 people newly affected by the cyclone. Unless additional funding is confirmed soon, all of WFP’s life-saving programmes will be interrupted in August 2023.
In the hardest hit areas, the most pressing needs are food, shelter, drinking water and sanitation, according to early monitoring by WFP and partners.
The destruction caused by the cyclone impacts immediate and longer-term food security. Salt water has contaminated farmland and fishponds, while rice seed stocks and livestock have been devastated.
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-30
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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Description:
"Highlights
• Cases of child neglect are reported, as caregivers are preoccupied with survival and suffering from psychosocial distress, increasing child protection risks, including physical risks of playing in debris or water unsupervised, as well as exposure of children to trafficking, violence or exploitation.
• 1,113 primary health care consultations have been provided in Rakhine through mobile health clinics from May 22 to date.
• UNICEF and partners continued to provide mental health and psychosocial support, including psychosocial first aid, to 1,432 people (653 girls, 623 boys, 88 women, 68 men) through safe spaces and mobile child-friendly spaces in both Rakhine and Northwest.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The humanitarian situation in regions and states affected by Cyclone Mocha continues to be a concern, as challenges in a number of affected sectors will have an impact on children’s survival, wellbeing and development.
Telecommunication remains the major constraint for collecting and sharing information in both Rakhine and the Northwest. Electricity resumed with limited hours (4-8 hours) in almost all areas of the Northwest while Rakhine State remains with no electricity. Humanitarian access to the affected population continues to be a challenge due to bureaucratic impediments, ongoing conflict and restrictions on movement and supply transportation. Affected people, including children and women, are at risk of explosive ordnance, mainly in conflict-affected areas. UNICEF’s Rakhine field office is replenishing stocks to scale up or continue assistance to affected children and populations. Transport takes longer than usual and there are delays in the arrival of supplies due to administrative process and several checkpoints.
According to WASH Cluster partners, about 700 households in Chin State, 4,800 households in Magway, and 2,800 households in Sagaing Region have been affected. These numbers may increase, as partners are still collecting information in some areas. To date, approximately 41,500 people have been identified as having suffered impacts from the cyclone, with WASH assistance - especially safe drinking water, emergency latrines, and hygiene supplies - the priority needs.
WASH Cluster partners reported that 208 ponds/ wells were flooded by salty water, affecting 101,378 people from 9,152 households in seven townships of Rakhine State affected by the cyclone. 193 open wells’ roofing sheets and wooden structures were damaged by storm winds in 46 villages in six townships (Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Mrauk U, Minbya, Maungdaw, and Man Aung). Two LifeStraw buildings were damaged in two villages in Minbya Township. Over 2,800 latrines were damaged in protracted camps and displacement sites in eight townships.
Among 14 static nutrition treatment out-patient therapeutic programme and supplementary feeding program (OTP/SFP) centres in Rakhine, four centres were totally destroyed by the cyclone and need new buildings/ reconstruction, while an additional 10 centres need minor repairs.
Partners reported that children are roaming around without clothes, often unsupervised, increasing child protection risks, including physical risks of playing in debris or water unsupervised, as well as exposure to trafficking, violence or exploitation. There is a need for support to caregivers, who require mental health and psychosocial support, as distress is impacting their capacity to care for their children. Cases of child neglect are reported, as caregivers are preoccupied with survival and suffering from psychosocial distress. Children and caregivers with disabilities need additional support.
Adolescent girls are exposed to risks of sexual abuse, as they report travelling long distances to fetch household water..."
Source/publisher:
UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-29
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-29
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), Education in Burma/Myanmar - general, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"CRISIS IMPACT OVERVIEW
• On 14 May 2023, the extremely severe cyclonic storm Mocha made landfall between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township in Myanmar. The cyclone caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, houses, and shelters in western and northern Myanmar, including Chin, Kachin, Magway, Rakhine, and Sagaing states, and in Bangladesh’s southeastern Chattogram division (ECHO 17/05/2023; OCHA 17/05/2023 a).
• In Myanmar, initial estimations suggest that the cyclone has affected approximately 5.4 million people in Chin, Magway, Rakhine, and Sagaing states, with 3.2 million potentially in need of humanitarian assistance (OCHA 16/05/2023). As at 17 May, 41 people had died and around 700 were injured. The cyclone has resulted in the evacuation of approximately 100,000 people. Among the worst-affected areas is western Rakhine, where the cyclone has extensively damaged numerous IDP camps for Rohingya people. Severe flooding has also affected more than 100,000 people in villages located in Magway and Sagaing (ECHO 17/05/2023).
• In Bangladesh, as at 19 May, the cyclone had affected approximately 2.3 million people, destroyed over 2,000 houses, and damaged more than 10,000 houses in Chattogram division (in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, and Noakhali districts) (ISCG et al. 17/05/2023; UNHCR 19/05/2023). A pre-existing high needs level meant that Rohingya refugees living in the camps were the most affected (ECHO 17/05/2023; OCHA 17/05/2023 a).
• The main needs reported for those affected in Myanmar are shelter, drinking water, latrine reconstruction or repair, health assistance, relief items, and food. The subsequent flood poses a high risk of spreading waterborne disease in the affected areas (OCHA 16/05/2023). Need assessments are underway but access constraints create more security risks and access obstacles in the cyclone-affected areas (OCHA 19/05/2023; The Guardian 19/05/2023). In Bangladesh, rapid needs assessments are underway (ISCG et al. 17/05/2023)..."
Source/publisher:
ACAPS via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-23
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Glide No.: TC-2023-000069-MMR
TIMELINE
10 May 2023: a Tropical Depression turned into Cyclonic Storm Mocha over the Southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining South Andaman Sea. On 13 May, Cyclone Mocha moved further north-eastwards over the Bay of Bengal and intensified to an Extremely Severe Cyclone.
14 May 2023: Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Rakhine State, Myanmar, as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm with winds gusting up to 230-250 km/h. On the same day at local time 6:30 pm. Mocha reached Haka Township in Chin State.
15 May: Cyclone Mocha reached Sagaing region as a deep land depression with a wind speed of 78 km/h.
15-16 May: The State Administration Council declared all 17 townships of Rakhine state and four townships in Chin State (Tiddim, Matupi, Paletwa and Hakha) as disaster affected areas under section 11 of the Natural Disaster Management Law.
16 May: The MRCS requested that the IFRC launch an Emergency Appeal to support its response plan to Cyclone Mocha and began relief and immediate assistance activities.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT
Extremely Severe Cyclone Storm Mocha1 is one of the strongest cyclones to hit the country in decades, and the most affected areas present an extraordinarily complex and insecure context due to civic disorders, armed clashes, and an extremely fragile economic situation.
Mocha caused storm surges in excess of two metres, strong winds and very heavy rainfall with heavy inundation reported in the low-lying areas of Rakhine, particularly in and around the state capital Sittwe, and in Chin state, Magway, Ayeyarwady and Mandalay regions as well as the lower Sagaing region.
On 15 May, the State Administration Council declared all 17 townships of Rakhine state as disaster affected areas under section 11 of the Natural Disaster Management Law, which recognises the special role of the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) in disaster management. On 16 May, a similar announcement was made for four townships in Chin state (Tiddim, Matupi, Paletwa and Hakha).
Severity of humanitarian conditions
1. Impact on the accessibility, availability, quality, use, and awareness of goods and services.
According to preliminary data collected during the identification of impact and needs carried out by MRCS branches through over 900 volunteers active on the ground, over 237,000 households across more than five states and regions have been affected by the strong winds, intense rainfall, flooding, and landslides which have accompanied the landfall of Cyclone Mocha.
In Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing, and Ayeyarwady, complete destruction or severe damage was reported to water supplies and sanitation facilities, public infrastructure (for example, some sources identify dozens of hospitals and clinics, hundreds of schools, and hundreds of religious buildings as being damaged), transport infrastructure, such as bridges and roads damaged and the airports of Sittwe and Thandwe in Rakhine State also partially damaged. Telecommunications infrastructure was also heavily affected with several telecoms towers damaged. Countrywide, some sources identify damage to about 2,500 religious buildings, over 2,000 schools, over 300 hospitals/clinics, and over 800 ships/boats.
While over 32,000 livestock are estimated as having been lost, the overall cropland area estimated to have been flooded is 1,400 km2, with disruptive consequences, especially for subsistence farmers.
More than 90% of houses in Rakhine and Chin are semi-permanent (semi-pacca6, wooden houses) and temporary shelters (bamboo/huts), and similarly in in the Ayeyarwady region, more than 55% of the houses are estimated to have light roof/walls. As a result, most of these shelters have been totally or partially damaged (in many cases, losing the roof), with preliminary data collected by MRCS volunteers indicating that more than 200,000 houses in the worst affected areas are in need of complete or partial repair. Significant damage to camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Rakhine have also been identified by the MRCS, with initial observations noting that tens of thousands of households were affected in 14 camps. A market analysis is still ongoing though steep price increases in basic goods, such as rice and eggs have already been reported.
2. Impact on physical and mental well-being
The devastating impact of the cyclone has serious consequences for the physical and mental health and psychosocial well-being of the affected population. Disruptions to water systems are limiting access to clean drinking water and increase the risks of waterborne diseases and large-scale disease outbreaks. Clinics and hospitals have been damaged or totally destroyed, resulting in a shortage of medicines, medical supplies in addition to limiting the capacities to admit and treat patients. Many laboratories and operating rooms are not functional. Mobile clinics have resumed the provision of primary healthcare services in some areas but continue to face constraints in terms of transportation and distribution of medical supplies and access to cover all affected areas. Disrupted or limited access to medicines and healthcare services is increasing the risk of preventable complications and deaths. In conflict affected areas, people are increasingly exposed to risks from the movement of landmines due to flooding. The disaster is also taking a toll on people’s immediate and long-term mental health and psychosocial well-being, given their exposure to traumatic and distressing events. The cyclone has led to an increase in the number of unaccompanied children, highlighting urgent needs for child protection and appropriate support services.
3. Risks and vulnerabilities
Myanmar has a very fragile economy, with almost half the population estimated to be living in poverty. In Rakhine, over half a million households had preexisting multidimensional vulnerabilities with an estimated six million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.2 million people internally displaced even prior to the cyclone. In the Ayeyarwady and Sagaing regions, and Chin state, between 50 and 60 per cent of the population was already living in vulnerable conditions, totalling over three million households, and the impact of the cyclone is expected to exacerbate these pre-existing conditions. The estimated number of households with pre-existing vulnerabilities in the Magway region is over 50,000.
Pre-existing and intersectional vulnerabilities should be taken into account, especially in prioritising the needs of displaced people, and of women, children, and people with disabilities within each target group..."
Source/publisher:
International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-26
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma
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"SUMMARY
UPDATED IMPACTS. Weeks after Tropical cyclone MOCHA impacted Myanmar, the actual condition of the affected areas has become clearer. According to the analysis of earth observation satellite images as well as ongoing rapid assessments on the ground, damages are confirmed to be 80-90% of buildings in the affected areas especially in Sittwe and Rathedaung in Rakhine State, Myanmar. On-the-ground assessments conducted since 22 May 2023 by ASEAN-ERAT have validated some of the damages that have been identified in Rakhine State, Myanmar. In agreement, data from the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) show an increase in confirmed structural damages as well as livestock lost due to the cyclone. Access to power, water, education, usual food sources, and health remain a major problem as utility lines remain damaged, a significant number of schools and hospitals/clinics destroyed, and access to usual food sources limited.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
a. The AHA Centre mobilised Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) relief items in response to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA in Myanmar since 21 May. As of 26 May, a total of 221K USD worth of relief items in the form of jerry cans, shelter repair kits, toolkit shelters, tarpaulins, family tents, and kitchen sets have arrived in Yangon, Myanmar for further distribution to the affected community. The AHA Centre is working on mobilising additional items from the DELSA Warehouse in Subang, Malaysia and the satellite warehouse in Chainat, Thailand as well as the available stocks in Myanmar.
b. On 26 May, ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT).
The ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) concluded the assessments in the affected areas by Tropical Cyclone MOCHA in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
c. A total of 17 townships in Rakhine State and 4 townships in Chin State have been declared by the Government of Myanmar as Natural Disaster-affected areas due to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-26
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-26
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"In Numbers
3.4 million people are living in Cyclone Mocha’s highest impact zone (Myanmar), of which 1.6 million are targeted for the cyclone response
780,000 people in Bangladesh, including refugees in all 33 Rohingya refugee camps, plus Bangladeshi communities, were affected
Highlights
In Myanmar, WFP has reached 115,900 people in the first ten days of its cyclone response across Rakhine State with emergency food and cash.
In Bangladesh, WFP reached over 14,100 Rohingya refugees with hot meals and biscuits from 13 to 20 May.
WFP is providing common services to other United Nations (UN) agencies by transporting relief cargo and providing warehousing support.
Situation Update
Cyclone Mocha hit an already vulnerable area, with substantial numbers of displaced and crisis-affected people reliant on humanitarian assistance. In Myanmar, 3.4 million people were living in the highest impact zone.3 In Bangladesh, the cyclone severely affected 780,000 people, including 536,000 Rohingya refugees and 243,000 Bangladeshis.
In Myanmar, an estimated 8,500 mt of rice and USD 1.5 million in cash-based transfers (CBT) will be required to assist 800,000 existing and newly cyclone- affected beneficiaries during the first month of the cyclone response. Out of these 800,000 planned beneficiaries, 360,000 were existing beneficiaries in Rakhine before the cyclone and 440,000 are newly targeted people affected by the cyclone.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is coordinating the transfer of humanitarian relief items from Bangladesh to Myanmar. WFP stands ready to provide logistics support to this initiative, subject to approval from the authorities in Bangladesh and Myanmar, as well as the availability of funding..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-26
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-26
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"SITUATION AT A GLANCE
4.5 MILLION People Targeted for Humanitarian Assistance in Burma
UN – January 2023
1.4 MILLION IDPs in Burma Displaced Since February 2021
UNHCR – May 2023
5.4 MILLION People Adversely Affected by Tropical Cyclone Mocha in Burma
UNHCR– May 2023
960,539 Estimated Number of Refugees in Bangladesh
UNHCR – March 2023
1.5 MILLION People Targeted by 2023 Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis Joint Response Plan
UN – March 2023
Tropical Cyclone Mocha made landfall over Burma’s Rakhine State on May 14, adversely affecting approximately 5.4 million people in Burma and an estimated 2.3 million people in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar District.
Access restrictions imposed by military authorities hinder the delivery of aid to cyclone-affected individuals across Burma.
USG partners provide life-saving assistance to thousands of households adversely affected by Tropical Cyclone Mocha in Burma and Bangladesh..."
Source/publisher:
US Agency for International Development (Washington, D.C.) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-24
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-24
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional
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414.23 KB
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"SUMMARY
UPDATED IMPACTS. A week after the Tropical cyclone MOCHA impacted Myanmar, the actual condition of the affected areas has become clearer. According to the analysis of earth observation satellite images as well as ongoing rapid assessments on the ground, damages are confirmed to be 80-90% of buildings in the affected areas especially in Sittwe and Rathedaung in Rakhine State, Myanmar. On-the-ground assessments conducted since 22 May 2023 by ASEAN-ERAT have validated some of the damages that have been identified in Rakhine State, Myanmar. In agreement, data from the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) show an increase in confirmed structural damages as well as livestock lost due to the cyclone. Access to power, water, education, usual food sources, and health remain a major problem as utility lines remain damaged, a significant number of schools and hospitals/clinics destroyed, and access to usual food sources limited..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-24
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-24
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Highlights
Two flash appeals were launched on 23 May, seeking to support 1.6 million people in Myanmar, and 780,000 people in Bangladesh.
In Myanmar, WFP has reached 87,000 people in central and northern Rakhine State through emergency cyclone response and regular relief distributions.
Situation Update
Cyclone Mocha hit an already vulnerable area, with substantial numbers of displaced and crisis-affected people reliant on humanitarian assistance. In Myanmar, 3.4 million people were living in the highest impact zone. In Bangladesh, the cyclone severely affected 780,000 people, including 536,000 Rohingya refugees and 243,000 Bangladeshis.
Cyclone Mocha flash appeals were launched for Myanmar and Bangladesh yesterday, 23 May.
o In Myanmar, a US$333 million flash appeal was launched, seeking to support 1.6 million people across five areas (Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing,
Magway, and Kachin).
o In Bangladesh, the Rohingya Refugee Response and the Humanitarian Country Task Team issued a flash appeal amounting to US$42.1 million to respond to Cyclone Mocha and enhance preparedness for the monsoon season a few weeks away.
o In northern Rakhine State, WFP has so far reached 22,400 cyclone-affected people and 10,900 people through regular relief distributions. Both cyclone response and regular relief distributions are ongoing.
WFP’s available rice stocks (500 mt) in Sittwe – one of the hardest hit areas – will be distributed today and tomorrow. WFP is working to temporarily divert or loan other stocks to central Rakhine State and is assessing the feasibility of distributing cash to some beneficiaries.
Fifteen trucks carrying 142 mt of HEBs arrived on 23 May in Sittwe from Yangon, and another ten trucks carrying 200 mt of rice are en route. WFP has requested travel authorization to move a further 2,000 mt of rice by road from Yangon to Sittwe as soon as possible..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-24
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-24
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma
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"(Myanmar, 23 May 2023)- The humanitarian community in Myanmar has launched a $333 million Flash Appeal to assist 1.6 million people affected by Cyclone Mocha that devastated the country’s west on 14 May.
“This perfect storm has devastated coastal areas, leaving hundreds of thousands of already vulnerable people without a roof over their heads as the monsoon looms,” Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Myanmar, Ramanathan Balakrishnan said. “We are now in a race against time to provide people with safe shelter in all affected communities and prevent the spread of water-borne disease. For this life-saving work, we need the generous financial support of the international community.”
The Flash Appeal requests an urgent injection of funds for activities to support vulnerable people in the highest impact zone across Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing and Kachin.
“This is a humanitarian catastrophe in one of country’s poorest areas, where there are high pre-existing needs, and we need donors to dig deep to support scaled-up distributions to the most vulnerable ahead of the rains,” the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. said.
The Flash Appeal includes a combination of $211 million in prioritized activities from the 2023 Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan that are being pivoted to support the cyclone response in affected areas, plus $122 million for additional activities or support to people newly affected by this disaster. The 1.6 million people identified for support under this appeal include those who have lost their homes, people who lack access to health services and clean water, people who are food insecure or malnourished, displaced people living in camps, stateless people, women, children and people with a disability.
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha crossed the coast in Rakhine State just over a week ago, before moving inland bringing flooding, landslides and strong winds. The cyclone recorded wind speeds of more than 250kmph as it approached the Rakhine coast, making it one of the strongest cyclones ever to hit the country.
“In the Rakhine State capital, Sittwe, almost no house was spared damage and displacement camps in the path of the cyclone have been left in splinters. Those affected are facing a long, miserable monsoon season if we cannot mobilize resources to deliver life-saving supplies,” Mr Balakrishnan said.
Myanmar Flash Appeal: https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-cyclone-mocha-flash-appeal-may-2023
Images, video and other background materials: Press handout from the UN in Myanmar on Cyclone Mocha
For further information, please contact:
Danielle Parry, Officer in Charge, [email protected], +95 9797002713 (Phone/Signal)
Suhad Sakalla, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, [email protected], +95 9797007815, +972 054433 4202 (Signal/WhatsApp)
Lesly Lotha, Communication Specialist, [email protected], +959 796139223 (Phone/Signal)
For more information, please visit www.unocha.org | https://reliefweb.int/country/mmr | https://www.facebook.com/OCHAMyanmar
Disclaimer
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-23
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional
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"Highlights
• The humanitarian community in Myanmar has launched a $333 million Flash Appeal to assist 1.6 million people affected by Cyclone Mocha, which devastated the country’s west on 14 May.
• Immediate funding is crucial to support vulnerable people in the hardest-hit areas, and coordination efforts are underway to expand access for distributions and facilitate the transportation of essential supplies.
• The cyclone has devastated coastal areas, leaving hundreds of thousands of already vulnerable people without a roof over their heads as the monsoon looms.
• The humanitarian community is in a race against time to provide people with safe shelter in all affected communities and prevent the spread of water-borne disease.
• As feared, community members are starting to report that children are experiencing diarrhea due to unclean water sources. Furthermore, child protection services have been disrupted following the cyclone, leaving vulnerable children in even greater need of support.
• There are growing concerns about the dangers posed by explosive ordnance contamination in the affected areas.
• Humanitarian partners with access to affected people have stepped up support to provide critical and lifesaving assistance, including food aid.
• Field observations in various townships in Rakhine, Northwest, and Kachin regions are informing ongoing response efforts where there is access.
• Based on discussions in Nay Pyi Taw, humanitarians have shared a detailed, two-week distribution plan, for approval, outlining support that is ready to be provided to across all affected communities in Rakhine and Chin.
Situation Overview
In the past week, local communities in Rakhine have been cleaning and clearing debris in the affected areas, with volunteers joining forces in Sittwe. Telecommunications are becoming more stable, but it will take time to fully restore services, particularly in the hardest-hit townships of Sittwe and Rathedaung. In the Northwest (Chin, Magway and Sagaing), access challenges, ongoing conflict, and communication problems have hindered the ability of humanitarian partners on the ground to get a full picture of the destruction.
Despite these challenges, humanitarian partners with access to affected people have scaled-up support by providing critical and lifesaving assistance, including food aid. Many Civil Society Organizations, who themselves were also heavily impacted by the cyclone, are also responding to the most critical emergency needs and conducting field observations, to the extent of their access and resources. Based on discussions in Nay Pyi Taw, humanitarians have shared a detailed, two-week distribution plan, for approval, outlining support that is ready to be provided to across all affected communities in Rakhine and Chin. A number of other requests are in process for the transport of relief items into the country.
A rapid analysis of contamination1 and incident data from Cyclone Mocha’s worst-hit areas has found that 60 per cent of the landmine incidents reported in the first quarter of 20232 were in areas that have now been affected by the cyclone. Of these, 90 per cent are reported from the highest impact area (red zone), where winds exceeding 120kmph were recorded. Nearly half of the villages that have reported contamination with high confidence (evidence of landmines reported) are located within this red zone. Moreover, nearly half of the villages that have reported contamination with lower confidence (suspicion of landmine contamination) are also in the red zone.
The protection needs of children in Rakhine are increasing as the cyclone has disrupted the delivery of critical child protection services, including case management and psychosocial support. Children already affected by conflict, displacement, and poverty are now even more vulnerable and require urgent support to meet their basic needs and protect them from harm. Support from child protection actors is limited due to accessibility challenges and the absence of reliable communication channels.
Awareness-raising messages about the risk of explosive ordnance and landmines, waterborne diseases, as well as mental health and psychosocial support, continue to be disseminated among affected communities to promote safety and precautionary measures..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-23
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Situation Overview
This multi-sectoral Flash Appeal targets approximately 1.6 million people affected by cyclone Mocha and its aftermath across five areas of Myanmar – Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Magway and Kachin. A total of US$333 million is urgently required for this response plan to address needs in areas in all communities affected by the cyclone and its aftermath.
The cyclone and the flooding that followed hit an area of high pre-existing vulnerability, with large numbers of displaced, returned, stateless and crisisaffected people, who were already targeted for support under the existing 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). Thus, the financial requirement for this Flash Appeal includes some activities originally costed under the 2023 HRP that can now be pivoted to support people affected by the cyclone. It also identifies completely new or scaled-up activities that will support the cyclone response to the existing HRP target populations, as well as costing support to entirely new people with needs as a result of the disaster across all communities.
Communities and humanitarian responders are now in a race against time to implement the response outlined with the monsoon imminent and hundreds of thousands of people either homeless or living in damaged shelters with limited access to clean water.
A dramatic scale-up of funding is imperative to support the activities outlined given the scale of the disaster and the dire existing funding gap for the HRP (10 per cent funded). The day before the cyclone, the Humanitarian Coordinator initiated a $2m Reserve Allocation under the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund to kick-start procurement of supplies and cash responses to affected people. On 18 May, the Emergency Relief Coordinator also approved a $10m allocation under the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Rapid Response window to support the Humanitarian Country Team to expand operations.
However, much more support is needed to deliver a disaster response at-scale.
This plan outlines immediate responses to be implemented during the initial months after the cyclone. The HCT may decide to revise this appeal once more information becomes available or may choose to fold these activities into a wider HRP revision at a later date.
Context and Needs Overview
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s Rakhine with brutal force on 14 May. One of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in Myanmar, the eye made landfall between Cox’s Bazaar and Kyaukpyu township, approaching the coast with maximum sustained winds of around 250 km/h and wind gusts of up to 305 km/h, before continuing inland and impacting communities with heavy rain and winds on 15 May. This appeal addresses needs generated by the cyclone and its aftermath in communities across five states and regions – Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Magway and Kachin.
An estimated 7.9 million people live in areas that experienced winds in excess of 90kmph during the cyclone. Of these, 3.4 million faced very destructive winds of more than 120 kmph, placing them at very high risk given the poor shelters in these locations and their pre-existing vulnerabilities.
Heavy rainfall, storm surge and strong winds associated with the cyclone caused widespread damage across affected locations, including flooding in low-lying areas of Rakhine, particularly in and around the state capital, Sittwe, as well as the townships of Kyauktaw, Maungdaw, Pauktaw,
Ponnagyun, and Rathedaung. Almost all buildings in Sittwe and Rathedaung have suffered damage, leaving hundreds of thousands of people either homeless or living in damaged houses. Significant damage has been suffered by displacement camps, where long houses were left in splinters and access bridges have been washed away. Extensive areas of farming land and coastal areas have been affected, with severe losses of assets that are crucial for the agriculture and fishery sectors. The destruction of the local fishing fleet and heavy loss of agricultural inputs will have serious implications on livelihoods and are likely to see the adoption of negative coping strategies in the months ahead.
As the weather system moved inland into the country’s Northwest and Northeast, continuous heavy rain caused flooding in townships in Magway where the Ayeyarwady River overflowed. In Chin, houses were reportedly damaged or destroyed. In Magway and Sagaing, floodwaters reportedly damaged infrastructure and agricultural fields and washed away livestock and personal belongings. Later, in Waingmaw Township in Kachin, shelters were damaged in Shanjai, which is home to more than 1,000 displaced people, as well as in the Maga Yang/Sha It Yang, Hka Shau, and Pajau/Janmai displacement camps.
Significant damage has been reported to public infrastructure in all affected areas, including hospitals, health centres, banks, schools, bridges, and religious buildings. Water systems, sanitation facilities, water supply infrastructure and latrines have also been affected, reducing access to safe drinking water and basic hygiene services, and increasing the risk of outbreaks of water-borne disease.
Although most markets have re-opened, the soaring prices of basic shelter materials needed for rebuilding, including tarpaulins, metal sheeting, and nails, has made this task unaffordable for most affected people in these very impoverished parts of the country. Food costs have also spiked in many locations, putting a strain on households that were already living on the edge of survival. For example, the price of one kilogram of rice in Mrauk-U township has increased from MMK 1,300 ($0.62) before the cyclone to MMK 1,500 ($0.71) one week after the disaster.
Even prior to the cyclone, the affected areas were characterized by heavy humanitarian needs resulting from years of conflict, displacement, statelessness,
COVID-19, and economic instability. This new disaster has now added a devastating new dimension to the humanitarian situation facing people in the country’s west.
Preparedness and early response
The Myanmar Humanitarian Emergency Response Preparedness Plan was activated at the national and sub-national levels ahead of the cyclone making landfall. Humanitarian organisations ramped up their preparedness efforts, pre-positioned personnel and supplies wherever possible, and disseminated safety messages to affected areas.
Since the cyclone hit, humanitarian personnel have been working to gauge the full impact of the disaster on affected people through a series of field missions and early support where they had permission to start distributions particularly of food, non-food items (NFIs), shelter and hygiene items. Based on discussions in Nay Pyi Taw, a detailed two-week distribution plan will soon be shared for approval, outlining further support that is ready to be provided to across all affected communities in Rakhine and Chin. Efforts are also underway to move more supplies to the impact zone from both Ya ngon and various locations outside the country.
The national Natural Disaster Management Committee was activated in Nay Pyi Taw before the cyclone and local authorities carried out evacuations in high-risk areas. In areas under the control of the State Administration Council (SAC), local authorities deployed personnel to start initiating debris clearance, restore communications and begin distributions.
The ASEAN Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) deployed staff to support the Emergency Operations Centre in Nay Pyi Taw before the cyclone hit. A 14 member ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) has been deployed to Rakhine to support the response by the Department of Disaster Management (DDM). The first three plane loads of AHA shelter supplies arrived in Myanmar on 21 May and were handed over to DDM for distribution in affected areas. OCHA continues to coordinate closely with AHA on the response.
In areas outside SAC control, various ethnic and resistance groups have been measuring the impact in affected communities and delivering assistance to the extent of their resources and access.
Civil society organizations and religious networks are working to support affected communities.
Communities themselves have also swung into action, clearing debris from blocked roads, and providing shelter to those who have lost their homes..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-23
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Education in Burma/Myanmar - general, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
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4.12 MB (30 pages) - Original version
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"SUMMARY
UPDATED IMPACTS. A week after Tropical cyclone MOCHA impacted Myanmar, the actual condition of the affected areas has become clearer. According to analysis of earth observation satellite images as well as ongoing rapid assessments on the ground, damages are confirmed to be 80-90% of buildings in the affected areas especially in Sittwe and Rathedaung in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Satellite imagery assessments also showed flooding, especially in areas closer to the track of Tropical Cyclone MOCHA. Onthe-ground assessments have revealed that access to power, water, and usual food sources have become a challenge. Electric posts remain toppled, water systems remain non-operational, but markets have started to reopen. Access to healthcare has been made limited as hospitals and clinics have reportedly been damaged to the point of being destroyed. Schools reportedly face the same problem as thousands have been destroyed. The affected communities are also fazed by the reported significant loss in livestock. Positively, clearing of debris have started, carried out by Myanmar authorities..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-22
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-22
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
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887.77 KB
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Description:
"Highlights
In Myanmar, WFP has reached 36,000 people across Rakhine State through emergency food and cash distributions, including 5,000 people who received their regular monthly assistance.
In Bangladesh, since the onset of Cyclone Mocha, WFP has reached more than 6,200 refugees with hot meals and fortified biscuits in Cox’s Bazar since 13 May, and more than 5,500 refugees with fortified biscuits in Bhasan Char on 14 May.
WFP reaches cyclone-affected households in Rakhine State with food.
Situation Update
• A week since Cyclone Mocha - the strongest ever cyclone to strike Myanmar - made landfall, the scope of its destruction has become clearer.
According to OCHA, Sittwe and Rathedaung townships are hardest hit in Rakhine State. The cyclone significantly damaged shelters in all communities in these areas. In Rathedaung, all rural health centres, hospitals, and public schools have been destroyed.
• WFP estimates that at least 800,000 people are in urgent need of food assistance in Rakhine State, of whom 360,000 are existing beneficiaries and 440,000 are new beneficiaries affected by the cyclone.
• The destruction of public infrastructure and disruption to water systems limit access to clean drinking water. Cases of diarrhoea outbreaks, especially among children, have been reported.
• The field-level logistics sector coordination mechanism has been established in Sittwe, with WFP as chair and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as co-chair..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-22
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-22
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Natural Disasters - General, Cyclones - regional
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
294.17 KB
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Description:
"Highlights
• One week after Cyclone Mocha, a clearer picture is emerging of the depth of destruction as humanitarians work to expand assistance across affected areas.
• Sittwe and Rathedaung are the hardest hit areas in Rakhine. Shelter damage there is significant across all communities.
• Destruction of public infrastructure, as well as disruptions to water systems, continue to limit access to clean drinking water in Rakhine, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases especially among the affected population.
• In Rathedaung township, all rural health centers, hospitals and public schools have been destroyed according to partners.
• Coastal villages along the Ah Ngu Maw-Maungdaw Road in Rathedaung and Maungdaw townships have suffered severe damage, including the loss of livestock. Southern Maungdaw reportedly has also faced damage, including to schools in five villages.
• Based on discussions in Nay Pyi Taw, humanitarians will soon be sharing a detailed, two-week distribution plan, for approval, outlining support that is ready to be provided to across all affected communities in Rakhine and Chin.
• In the meantime, partners who already have access are prioritizing the distribution of food and critical relief items where they can. Efforts are also underway to transport additional supplies to address stockpile shortages, pending necessary approvals for movement within and outside the country.
• Humanitarian partners are disseminating messages in local languages to raise awareness around risks of waterborne disease and landmines among affected communities and promote safety precautions.
• The cyclone has led to an increase in the number of unaccompanied children in Rakhine, highlighting the urgent need for child protection and appropriate support services.
Situation Overview
While a massive clean-up effort has been underway in Sittwe over the past week, continued field visits by humanitarian partners are shedding light on the magnitude of the crisis faced by people across the impact zone. Many people have been left without safe shelter and have lost all of their belongings, further exacerbating the already dire living conditions endured by many for the past three years due to the pandemic, ongoing conflict, and economic instability.
Humanitarian partners who have access to the population are already providing critical relief items to the extent possible, including through the distribution of food assistance. Efforts are underway to transport additional humanitarian supplies from Yangon to Sittwe to address stockpile shortages and bolster the response. Humanitarians are also exploring various approaches to facilitate the movement of supplies to impacted areas, both from within and outside the country, pending necessary approvals.
Telecommunications problems persist and access to banking services is being disrupted both by cyclone damage and bureaucratic obstacles. Humanitarian partners continue to disseminate safety messages in local languages focusing on the risk of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines in flooded areas. Venomous snakes are also an increasing threat in flood-affected areas, especially in Magway and Sagaing..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-21
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Language:
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
569.64 KB 484.87 KB
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Description:
"This Situation Update is provided by the AHA Centre for use of the ASEAN Member States and relevant stakeholders. The information presented is collected from various sources, including but not limited to ASEAN Member States’ Government Agencies, UN, IFRC, NGOs, Humanitarian and Dialogue Partners, and News Organisations.
Note: Information contained in this document are additional information since the AHA Centre Situation Update #4 (18 May 2023) and until today (20 May 2023 at 1800 HRS UTC+7). You may refer to Situation Update #1, Situation Update #2, and Situation Update #3, and Situation Update 4 for the previous information.
1. SUMMARY
UPDATED IMPACTS. Over the course of the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone MOCHA, significant damages have been reported to be mainly sustained by houses and infrastructures. In response to the series of rapid intensifications and predicted severe damages by the cyclone, pre-emptive evacuation was conducted. As a testament to its intensity and nature, cyclone-associated severe winds and rainfall resulted in widespread damages and flooding and internal displacement of a significant number of populations from areas along its path and even in areas hundreds of kilometres away. Latest confirmed casualties have reached more than a hundred and damage and loss data have increased substantially in terms of buildings (reaching multiple hundred thousand), and livestock. Estimated damage and loss costs have reached more than a million US Dollars according to reports from authorities.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
a. As of the official acceptance by DDM Myanmar of the offer of support by the AHA Centre on 20 May 2023, Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) relief items and ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) members are scheduled to be deployed starting 21 May 2023. The AHA Centre is in close coordination with DDM, MOFA, and relevant authorities to ensure that humanitarian needs are addressed in the areas affected by the cyclone.
b. A total of 17 townships in Rakhine State and 4 townships in Chin State have been declared by the Government of Myanmar as Natural Disaster-affected areas due to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-20
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-20
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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844.1 KB
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"At least 145 people are now known to have been killed in Myanmar (Burma) by a powerful cyclone, the country's military rulers have said.
They say most of the victims of Cyclone Mocha that made landfall last Sunday were from the Rohingya minority.
The junta had earlier put the death toll at 21, but local residents told the BBC that at least 40 had died.
About 800,000 people have been affected by one of the strongest storms to hit the region this century, the UN said.
With winds of up to 209km/h (130mph), Mocha - a category five storm - battered the Rakhine state, in western Myanmar, as well as the regions of Sagaing and Magway.
"Altogether 145 local people were killed during the cyclone," Myanmar's junta said in a statement on Friday, the AFP news agency reported.
According to the statement, among the victims were four soldiers, 24 locals and 117 people from the Rohingya minority.
Before the official statement, there were numerous reports suggesting a much higher death toll than the initial figure of 21, especially in camps where the internally displaced Rohingya live.
Hundreds of homes and shelters have collapsed while communication has been difficult in the country and people are still missing.
In Sittwe, the capital city of Rakhine state, where many people live in low-lying coastal areas, roads have been blocked by uprooted trees and fallen power pylons.
There have also also reports of military attacks on locals following the storm.
Thousands of people fled their homes in the north-western Sagaing region as the army entered villages under cover of the cyclone.
Communities in Sagaing have put up some of the strongest opposition to the military, which seized power in a coup on 2021. The area also houses a large number of anti-government militias, known as the People's Defence Force.
There were no immediate reports of casualties in neighbouring Bangladesh, but the storm c.rushed. thousands of shelters in the world's largest refugee camp at Cox's Bazar. It is home to one million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
Mocha came 15 years after one of Asia's deadliest cyclones, Nargis, smashed into Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta and claimed 140,000 lives.
Cyclones are the equivalent of hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacific. Scientists say these storms have become stronger and more frequent due to climate change..."
Source/publisher:
"BBC News" (London)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Human Rights and international relations, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, 2021 Burma/Myanmar coup d'état, Cyclones - regional
Language:
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Description:
"HIGHLIGHTS
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha crossed the coast near Sittwe in Rakhine on midday of 14 May, with winds reaching 190-250 km/h, making it one of the strongest cyclones on record in the country. It brought heavy rains, floodings, winds and tidal surge reaching 5-7 ft across the coast and low-lying areas in Rakhine and headed northeast to nearby Chin, Magway, Sagaing & Kachin.
The initial observations have shown widescale destruction of homes and public infrastructures, hospitals, health clinics, schools particularly caused by heavy rains and strong winds. There are rising concerns in flooded areas for spread of waterborne diseases, Heath services were interrupted for 3 days in Rakhine. Mobile clinics under emergency and routine approvals have resumed activities treating people with injuries (mostly minor) on day 4 in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone.
Rakhine
• Most health facilities are affected, resulting in a shortage of medicines, medical supplies and health staff. Many laboratories and operating theatres in Sittwe township are non-functional.
• Medical clinics are totally destroyed in 3 IDP camps in Sittwe township which were observed.
• Sittwe General Hospital, four hospitals in Kyauktaw, Minbya, Pauktaw and Rathedaung townships, Stations hospitals in Mrauk-U townships & Ku Taung villages are totally damaged by the cyclone.
• Thet Kel Pyin station hospital in Sittwe is partially destroyed with eight in-patients still being managed and functional delivery rooms.
• Until now, four mobile clinics under emergency approval and eleven mobile clinics under routine approval are providing essential medical services to the cyclone affected people in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Mrauk-U and Minbya..."
Source/publisher:
Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Public Health, World Health Organisation (WHO), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
217.05 KB
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Description:
"On 14 May, Cyclone Mocha made landfall near Sittwe, Myanmar Rakhine State’s capital, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and causing landslides in some areas. The cyclone had a devastating impact on homes and infrastructures, affecting millions of people. In Bangladesh, while initial reports indicate the worst of the cyclone spared Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, many families from the refugee and surrounding host communities were affected and thousands of homes and facilities destroyed.
In Myanmar, UNHCR is supporting response and coordination efforts as part of the United Nations Humanitarian Country Team. Myanmar is now facing an emergency within a crisis, with initial reports indicating extensive damages and acutely high needs. An estimated 5.4 million people were in the path of over 90km per hour winds, damaging houses and infrastructure. 3.2 million are estimated to be need of humanitarian assistance. Rakhine State bore the brunt of the cyclone. The devastation compounds the hardships of some 1.8 million IDPs, including 1.5 million newly displaced by the volatile situation across the country, since 1 February 2021 (https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/myanmar). Access restrictions are also making it difficult for humanitarian actors to reach those in need.
In Bangladesh, some 2.3 million people have been affected by the cyclone. UNHCR is supporting the government-led response and is working closely with the humanitarian community via the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), displaced and host communities, as well as community leaders and volunteers. In Cox’s Bazaar – home to the world’s largest refugee camp – efforts are underway to assess damage and provide emergency assistance to those in need. The situation in Bhasan Char is less critical with no casualties or damage to shelters or facilities reported after authorities evacuated some 30,000 refugees to 53 dedicated cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure. Most reportedly returned to their homes after the cyclone passed. However, the capacity to respond and prepare for the upcoming monsoon season in Myanmar and Bangladesh is heavily strained and more support is urgently needed to bolster the humanitarian response to affected communities..."
Source/publisher:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
172.84 KB
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Description:
"May 19 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military-controlled media said on Friday 145 people were killed when Cyclone Mocha hit the country this week, in stark contrast to reports from rights groups and residents who fear hundreds may have died.
The impoverished western state of Rakhine bore the brunt of the storm that on Sunday tore down houses, communication towers and bridges with winds of up to 210 kph (130 mph), and triggered a storm surge that inundated the state capital Sittwe.
The junta said in a statement that as of May 18 a total of 145 people had been found dead, including 91 in camps for internally displaced people. Earlier this week it had said three people were killed by the storm.
Reuters could not independently verify the number of casualties.
Some residents contacted by Reuters said earlier this week that more than 400 people had been killed and many more were missing, adding that the survivors were struggling with a lack of food and medical supplies.
Rakhine has a large population of Rohingya Muslims - around 600,000, a persecuted minority that successive governments in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar have refused to recognise.
"Relief groups of respective states...are working on rescues and rehabilitation work along with charity civil society groups," the junta said in the statement shared on its Telegram channels and on Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV).
However, the United Nations and other non-governmental organisations said relief efforts were stalled as they awaited permission from the junta to deploy personnel and much-needed food, water and medical supplies to the affected regions.
Storm-damaged bridges and roads blocks uprooted trees were also holding up aid, the international agencies said.
Some 400,000 people were evacuated in Myanmar and Bangladesh ahead of the cyclone making landfall, as authorities scrambled to avert heavy casualties from one of the strongest storms to hit the region in recent years..."
Source/publisher:
"Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
more
Description:
"Highlights
Humanitarian assistance has begun reaching people affected by cyclone Mocha in Myanmar’s Rakhine State as communities race to rebuild their lives and homes ahead of the monsoon.
On Sunday, cyclone Mocha devastated coastal regions in Rakhine, including Sittwe and Rathedaung, damaging or destroying homes, before moving inland where it brought severe flooding.
Vulnerable people continue to seek shelter in evacuation centers and monasteries in the aftermath of the cyclone.
In the past two days, the World Food Programme has delivered emergency food assistance to some 6,000 IDPs and people sheltering in cyclone shelters in the Rakhine capital Sittwe. Shelter support has also been delivered to communities in need and mobile health teams have been treating people in the field.
Humanitarians have been working to gauge the full
impact of the cyclone in areas where they have access
while partners await approval for coordinated field missions that would allow for the wider-scale distribution of assistance based on observed need.
The limited availability and soaring prices for essential items, especially shelter materials, are presenting significant challenges for those trying to reconstruct their damaged homes and shelters with the monsoon looming.
Although fuel supplies have arrived in some areas, a shortage of crucial public services, such as health facilities and water treatment, persists.
Awareness-raising messages are being disseminated in a bid to prevent waterborne diseases and casualties from landmines in flooded areas.
Urgent funding is required to meet the significant needs arising from Cyclone Mocha. Currently, the existing US$764 million Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded.
On 18 May, the Emergency Relief Coordinator has approved an allocation of $10m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the response to cyclone Mocha in Myanmar.
Situation Overview
Five days have passed since Cyclone Mocha struck Myanmar’s west, causing extensive damage and significantly affecting millions of people across Rakhine and the Northwest. Some parts of Kachin and northern Shan also experienced heavy rains and strong winds associated with the cyclone as the weather system moved inland. Electricity and telecommunication services are still unreliable in the affected townships.
Vulnerable people, including women, expectant mothers, children and the elderly, many of whom have not previously experienced displacement, are seeking shelter in evacuation centers and monasteries after being left homeless by the cyclone. Those who have returned home are facing the daunting task of rebuilding their damaged houses with limited available resources. Although some markets have re-opened, the soaring prices of basic shelter materials, such as tarpaulins, aluminum sheets, and nails, has made this task unaffordable for most people in these very impoverished parts of the country. For instance, the cost of a tarpaulin sheet has more than doubled, increasing from MMK 40,000 ($19) before the cyclone to MMK 97,000 ($46). Food costs are also soaring. For example, the price of one bag of rice has also increased from MMK 80,000 ($38) before the cyclone to MMK120,000 ($57). Such a sharp increases cannot be absorbed by most families.
Humanitarian partners have begun reaching people with support based on field observations in various townships where they had previously approved access or where there has been new access approved. On 18 May, the World Food Programme received permission to distribute emergency food in 8 townships: Sittwe, Kyauktaw, Ponngayun, Pauktaw, Rathedaung, Minbya, Meybon and Mrauk-U, as well as approval for assistance in Buthidaung and Maungdaw in northern Rakhine. It has been possible for partners to distribute some shelter assistance as well in locations where they had pre- existing operations and mobile health teams have been operational in affected communities. Humanitarians are seeking access for coordinated field missions to distribute wider assistance based on observations of the situation on the ground.
In recent days, initial humanitarian supplies have also been transported via trucks to Sittwe township from Yangon and humanitarians are exploring a range of approaches to try and move supplies to the impact zone from inside and outside the country, pending approval. Additionally, fuel supplies arrived in Sittwe city on 18 May and were distributed to gas stations. As of 19 May, gas stations are operational, and the price of fuel has dropped from MMK 2,700 (more than $1) to MMK 2,200 ($1). However, there is still a shortage of fuel, particularly for essential public services, such as health facilities and water treatment. Other critical needs include shelter, food aid, medical supplies, and healthcare services.
Concerns persist in flooded areas regarding the spread of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines in conflict areas. Humanitarian partners have preemptively developed awareness-raising messages in local languages around these concerns. These messages are being disseminated among affected communities in these areas to raise awareness and promote safety precautions..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Natural Disasters - General, Cyclones - regional
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
782.96 KB
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Description:
"Highlights
Humanitarian assistance has begun reaching people affected by cyclone Mocha in Myanmar’s Rakhine State as communities race to rebuild their lives and homes ahead of the monsoon.
On Sunday, cyclone Mocha devastated coastal regions in Rakhine, including Sittwe and Rathedaung, damaging or destroying homes, before moving inland where it brought severe flooding.
Vulnerable people continue to seek shelter in evacuation centers and monasteries in the aftermath of the cyclone.
In the past two days, the World Food Programme has delivered emergency food assistance to some 6,000 IDPs and people sheltering in cyclone shelters in the Rakhine capital Sittwe. Shelter support has also been delivered to communities in need and mobile health teams have been treating people in the field.
Humanitarians have been working to gauge the full
impact of the cyclone in areas where they have access
while partners await approval for coordinated field missions that would allow for the wider-scale distribution of assistance based on observed need.
The limited availability and soaring prices for essential items, especially shelter materials, are presenting significant challenges for those trying to reconstruct their damaged homes and shelters with the monsoon looming.
Although fuel supplies have arrived in some areas, a shortage of crucial public services, such as health facilities and water treatment, persists.
Awareness-raising messages are being disseminated in a bid to prevent waterborne diseases and casualties from landmines in flooded areas.
Urgent funding is required to meet the significant needs arising from Cyclone Mocha. Currently, the existing US$764 million Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded.
On 18 May, the Emergency Relief Coordinator has approved an allocation of $10m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the response to cyclone Mocha in Myanmar.
Situation Overview
Five days have passed since Cyclone Mocha struck Myanmar’s west, causing extensive damage and significantly affecting millions of people across Rakhine and the Northwest. Some parts of Kachin and northern Shan also experienced heavy rains and strong winds associated with the cyclone as the weather system moved inland. Electricity and telecommunication services are still unreliable in the affected townships.
Vulnerable people, including women, expectant mothers, children and the elderly, many of whom have not previously experienced displacement, are seeking shelter in evacuation centers and monasteries after being left homeless by the cyclone. Those who have returned home are facing the daunting task of rebuilding their damaged houses with limited available resources. Although some markets have re-opened, the soaring prices of basic shelter materials, such as tarpaulins, aluminum sheets, and nails, has made this task unaffordable for most people in these very impoverished parts of the country. For instance, the cost of a tarpaulin sheet has more than doubled, increasing from MMK 40,000 ($19) before the cyclone to MMK 97,000 ($46). Food costs are also soaring. For example, the price of one bag of rice has also increased from MMK 80,000 ($38) before the cyclone to MMK120,000 ($57). Such a sharp increases cannot be absorbed by most families.
Humanitarian partners have begun reaching people with support based on field observations in various townships where they had previously approved access or where there has been new access approved. On 18 May, the World Food Programme received permission to distribute emergency food in 8 townships: Sittwe, Kyauktaw, Ponngayun, Pauktaw, Rathedaung, Minbya, Meybon and Mrauk-U, as well as approval for assistance in Buthidaung and Maungdaw in northern Rakhine. It has been possible for partners to distribute some shelter assistance as well in locations where they had pre- existing operations and mobile health teams have been operational in affected communities. Humanitarians are seeking access for coordinated field missions to distribute wider assistance based on observations of the situation on the ground.
In recent days, initial humanitarian supplies have also been transported via trucks to Sittwe township from Yangon and humanitarians are exploring a range of approaches to try and move supplies to the impact zone from inside and outside the country, pending approval. Additionally, fuel supplies arrived in Sittwe city on 18 May and were distributed to gas stations. As of 19 May, gas stations are operational, and the price of fuel has dropped from MMK 2,700 (more than $1) to MMK 2,200 ($1). However, there is still a shortage of fuel, particularly for essential public services, such as health facilities and water treatment. Other critical needs include shelter, food aid, medical supplies, and healthcare services.
Concerns persist in flooded areas regarding the spread of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines in conflict areas. Humanitarian partners have preemptively developed awareness-raising messages in local languages around these concerns. These messages are being disseminated among affected communities in these areas to raise awareness and promote safety precautions..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Yangon, 19 May, 2023 – Homes ripped apart, power poles blocking roads, and bridges completely washed away are the scenes of destruction caused by Cyclone Mocha, according to Save the Children.
Humanitarian organisations and local communities are working around the clock on clean up and recovery efforts. Still, there are real risks that survivors may face secondary disasters, including waterborne diseases; and damage to food supplies has put thousands at risk of hunger.
Maung Thein*, a resident of a displaced camp near the coastal area of Rakhine State, said:
"A strong wind started to crack our roofs. Rain was pouring in from above. I heard voices shouting from far away through the roaring wind. We all were soaking wet."
The cyclone subsided by 10 pm, but Maung Thein's* home was already destroyed by then.
"With the tarpaulin sheets I kept before the storm, I built a temporary shelter where my whole family is staying now. I have one bag of rice left. No idea after it is all gone. Now, we share food as some households have nothing but only clothes they have on their bodies. The price of basic commodities has become very high at 1,000 kyats (0.5 USD) per egg which used to cost 200 kyats (0.1 USD). However, even with enough money, we can't purchase as much as we want, including medicines. No markets or shops are running at this moment."
All 17 townships in Rakhine state have been declared emergency areas. Meanwhile, in Pauk Taw township and in the northwestern township of Magway, water and sanitation access sustained extensive damage.
Hundreds of latrines and wells are either damaged or destroyed, severely compromising both townships' access to safe drinking water and hygiene practices.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports an urgent need for fuel for essential public services, including health and water treatment. Public infrastructure, including health clinics, food distribution centres and schools, are also damaged or destroyed, mainly caused by heavy rains and strong winds, which reached 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph) at the height of the storm.
Casualties continue to be reported, though the exact numbers still have not been verified, as communications remain limited across the affected areas.
Hassan Noor, Asia Regional Director at Save the Children, said:
"This is one of the most powerful cyclones to hit Myanmar in decades, and the situation for children is likely to be chaotic and stressful. In addition to shelter, clean water, and food assistance, it is imperative we support children's health and wellbeing as part of our humanitarian response."
"Currently, many roads are still inaccessible, but it is becoming clear that an enormous amount of support will be required in the coming days, and we must act quickly to limit the devastating impact caused to millions of families.”
Save the Children and partners in Myanmar are delivering life-saving supplies, including food, clean water, health services, hygiene, and education kits as well as providing psychosocial support to children.
ENDS
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Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food and nutrition, education and child protection programmes.
For further enquiries please contact:
Our media out of hours (BST) contact, [email protected] / +44(0)7831 650409
Diana Oberoi, Regional Media Manager for Asia (Bangkok): [email protected];
Emily Wight, Global Media Manager (London): [email protected]
Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs..."
Source/publisher:
Save the Children (London)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Children, Children's rights: resources and organisations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Human Rights and international relations
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Sub-title:
Junta says 100 Rohingya died from Cyclone Mocha, but others have counted more than 400.
Description:
"Myanmar’s junta says that 100 Rohingya died from last weekend’s Cyclone Mocha – and that news outlets that say it’s higher will be sued.
The shadow National Unity Government, made up of former parliamentarians and opponents of the military, which took control of the country in a 2021 coup, puts the number at 455 – more than four times higher.
Reports by media that more than 400 were killed “were baseless and have frightened the public,” a junta statement Friday said. “We will take action against those media using existing laws.”
The storm that hit the coast of Rakhine state and parts of Bangladesh last weekend, flooded villages and battered camps where displaced Rohingya have lived for years.
Authorities evacuated the Rakhine population before the storm and accommodated 63,302 of the 125,789 Rohingyas from 17 refugee camps who needed to be evacuated, the junta statement said.
Those who died in the storm were people who didn’t comply with the authority’s evacuation procedure and remained in their homes on their own accord, the military said.
Radio Free Asia reported earlier this week that many people couldn’t evacuate because emergency shelter centers quickly became overcrowded.
Some 130,000 Rohingya have lived for more than a decade in internally displaced persons camps in and around Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine.
The deaths of so many villagers from the storm was a result of their poor living standards in restricted camps near the seashore, Rohingya activists told RFA. Many villagers weren’t properly informed of the coming cyclone, they said.
Two Rohingya villagers told RFA that it has been difficult to collect every dead body that was washed into the sea after the storm struck the coast.
The junta said Friday that 18 army officers would be assigned to each township to oversee rehabilitation work for the 18 townships in Rakhine and Chin state that were affected by the storm.
In those areas, transportation infrastructure and some telephone networks have been out of service, and there are still areas where food, medicine and shelters haven't arrived.
NUG’s statement on Wednesday said more than 42,000 acres of agricultural land in four states and regions were destroyed by the storm..."
Source/publisher:
"RFA" (USA)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Discrimination against the Rohingya, Natural Disasters - General, Cyclones - regional
Language:
more
Description:
"Highlights
In Myanmar, WFP has started distributing food, cash, and nutrition supplies to 190,000 cyclone-affected people in central Rakhine State today.
High Energy Biscuits and rice will be provided to 6,000 affected individuals in the worst-hit villages in northern Rakhine State as part of the emergency response.
In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, WFP reached 6,200 Rohingya refugees with emergency hot meals and fortified biscuits.
In Numbers
At least 800,000 people in the direct path of the cyclone will need emergency food assistance in Myanmar, according to initial estimates that could still increase.
Almost 500,000 Bangladeshis are estimated to have been affected by the Cyclone; more precision is expected via UN assessments now underway.
Situation Update
• Cyclone Mocha’s landfall (14 May) near Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, has caused further distress to the already dire situation in northwest Myanmar. The cyclone was one of the strongest to ever strike Myanmar, while also inflicting damage in Bangladesh, where nearly 1 million people live in the world’s largest refugee camp.
• WFP estimates that at least 800,000 people are in urgent need of food assistance in Rakhine State, of whom 360,000 are existing beneficiaries and 440,000 are new beneficiaries affected by the cyclone.
• In Myanmar, the de facto authorities have announced a new structure to manage the cyclone response at the field level. In each affected township, a senior officer will be assigned to oversee response and recovery efforts..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-19
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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Sub-title:
‘Apartheid’ Camps Left Tens of Thousands Trapped, Exposed
Description:
"Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar’s Rakhine State on Sunday, its 250 kilometer per hour winds tearing through low-lying shelters along the Bay of Bengal. One of the strongest cyclones to ever hit the region, Mocha brought flooding and damage to millions of people in its path.
The state capital, Sittwe, bore the worst of the destruction, with almost no home left intact. Verifying tallies of the dead and missing, currently estimated in the hundreds, has been hindered by lingering communication blackouts. Humanitarian workers are reporting extensive cyclone damage across central Rakhine, where about 140,000 of Myanmar’s 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have been confined to camps for more than 10 years, with some camps near fully destroyed.
What we know about these camps tells us that the damage and loss of life incurred was both foreseeable and avoidable.
For decades, Myanmar authorities have deprived the Rohingya of their rights and freedoms and eroded their capacity to survive. The camps in Rakhine State were set up in 2012, ostensibly for those displaced by communal violence, but in effect serving the government’s oppressive regime of apartheid, persecution, and imprisonment. Families were confined to bamboo longhouses, designed to last just two years. The authorities denied aid agencies’ requests for adequate land and resources to make safer the flood-prone former paddy fields and low-lying coastal areas where the camps sit.
The resulting living conditions are, by design, squalid, contributing to a growing tally of preventable deaths and annual threats from extreme weather. With new blockages on aid imposed since the 2021 military coup, fewer than half of camp shelters had received any repair over the past two years.
Initial reports say that Myanmar’s military junta has impeded the disaster response to all affected areas this week, with bureaucratic constraints hindering aid agencies’ travel authorizations and customs clearances.
“No government, no organization has come to our village,” a Rohingya man told AFP. “We haven’t eaten for two days.… No one has even come to ask.”
Brad Hazlett of the relief organization Partners reported that they were witnessing “a large-scale loss of life in the camps.”
In the critical days ahead, as Rohingya and others clear debris and search for missing relatives, foreign governments should demand the junta lift all blocks on lifesaving aid delivery. In the longer term, they should be charting a path toward holding Myanmar’s military to account for the oppressive conditions that left Rohingya trapped and exposed in the eye of the storm..."
Source/publisher:
"Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication:
2023-05-18
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Human Rights and international relations, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma
Language:
more
Description:
"Highlights
A massive clean-up effort is continuing in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha that hit western Myanmar with brutal force on Sunday.
Millions of people live in the cyclone’s path, mostly in wooden shelters that were not built to ensure winds in excess of 200 kilometres per hour.
Coastal areas of Rakhine State bore the brunt of the cyclone, however partners now estimate almost 150,000 people in the country’s Northwest were also heavily affected, as well as a smaller number in Kachin. A total of 21 townships in Rakhine and Chin states have been declared affected by the cyclone, according to local authorities.
Electricity and telecommunication services remain interrupted in numerous townships in Rakhine and the Northwest.
Fuel is urgently needed for essential public services, particularly for health and water treatment. Clean water supplies are also getting low. Other pressing needs include shelter, food, and medicine, medical supplies and healthcare services.
There are ongoing negotiations for humanitarian access to people in need with all relevant stakeholders, while partners continue their field observations across Rakhine and prepare to begin coordinated field missions once granted approval.
Humanitarian actors have provided some initial support to affected communities across various townships in Rakhine where they had pre-existing approvals and operations. These efforts are directed towards both the affected Rakhine and Rohingya populations. Mobile health clinics have also begun operations.
As of 18 May, Sittwe Airport has re-opened, allowing commercial flights to arrive in Rakhine.
Resource mobilization efforts are underway, as more funding is crucial to address the huge needs emerging from the cyclone. The pre-existing US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded which does not yet include the cost of responding to cyclone Mocha.
Situation Overview
Millions of people live in the path of the cyclone and a massive effort is now underway to clear debris and provide shelter to those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. Coastal Rakhine took the heaviest hit from the cyclone with severe impacts across the northwest and some damage in Kachin also reported. As of 16 May, authorities declared 21 townships across Rakhine (17) and Chin (4) to be impacted by the cyclone. Many areas in Rakhine are still deprived of electricity and reliable telecommunication services, more than four days after the cyclone hit.
Partners have conducted field observations in multiple areas, including Sittwe and other townships to get a better sense of the impact in different locations. Once access is granted, the humanitarian actors are prepared to undertake coordinated field missions to gain a more comprehensive view of the situation. Humanitarian organizations have also been able to provide some preliminary support to communities affected by the cyclone where they had prior operations and approved access.
In Sittwe, the first signs of recovery are visible with the reopening of markets, shops, and restaurants. Urgent repairs to bridges connecting IDP camps in Sittwe are needed for the movement of the population and humanitarian access. Options for these repairs are being explored.
Various sources continue to document casualties and people who are missing, including some IDPs. It is crucial to ensure people who died in the cyclone are laid to rest with dignity. Partners highlight an urgent need for fuel to ensure the running of key public services, notably health and water treatment. Clean water supplies are a concern. Other critical needs include shelter, food aid, medical supplies, and healthcare services. In flooded areas, concerns persist about the spread of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines.
Rakhine
According to the Health Cluster, mobile clinics have begun operating in some of the affected townships, and rapid response teams have been deployed to Thet Kae Pyin, Thae Chaung, and Dar Paing IDP camps.
Most health facilities were affected, resulting in a shortage of medicines, medical supplies and health staff. Many laboratories and operating theatres in Sittwe township are non-functional. Urgent fuel supply is needed.
Healthcare for expectant mothers has suffered across all townships due to damaged hospitals and clinics, highlighting an urgent need for sexual and reproductive health services.
An estimated 80 per cent of the public schools in Ponnagyun township were damaged.
Seven nutrition centers located in Sittwe and inside IDP camps have been damaged.
The destruction of shelters and latrines, combined with a lack of electricity, heightens the risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), especially in IDP camps.
Most GBV centers within the IDP camps in Sittwe have also been impacted. Temporary solutions are being explored to maintain case management services and referrals.
Pre-existing activities by humanitarian partners are being refocused to assist those impacted by the cyclone, including the distribution of drinking water, relief items, and child protection and hygiene kits in collaboration with local partners. Water trucking efforts by humanitarian partners will begin once approved.
Northwest
Partners report that in Chin, approximately 1,800 houses, 19 churches, 30 schools, and 5 hospitals were either completely or partially destroyed across Falam, Hakha, Kanpetlet, Matupi, Mindat, Paletwa, Tedim, Thantlang, and Tonzang townships due to the cyclone. Consequently, approximately 500 people were displaced and 50,000 people were otherwise affected.
In Sagaing, the impact of strong winds has reportedly affected approximately 85,000 people across Kale, Khin-U, Pale, Wetlet, and Yinmarbin townships, according to partners. The already challenging situation has been exacerbated by ongoing conflict and the presence of troops in the region, making it even more difficult for affected people to find safe shelter.
In Magway, approximately 11,000 households from 8 townships were affected; local partners have provided food, tarpaulins, and clothes to some 1,000 households so far.
In Mandalay, more than 200 people have been affected as their houses were swept away by strong winds and flooding.
There are urgent needs for food, shelter materials, clothing, WASH items, and medicines reported among the affected population in the Northwest. However, the response from partners is constrained by limited access, roadblocks, and ongoing conflict..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-18
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Human Rights and international relations, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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Description:
"This Situation Update is provided by the AHA Centre for use of the ASEAN Member States and relevant stakeholders. The information presented is collected from various sources, including but not limited to ASEAN Member States’ Government Agencies, UN, IFRC, NGOs, Humanitarian and Dialogue Partners, and News Organisations
Note: Information contained in this document are additional information since the AHA Centre Situation Update #2 (14 May 2023) and until today (16 May 2023 at 1700 HRS UTC+7). You may refer to Situation Update #1, Situation Update #2, and Situation Update #3 for the previous information.
1. SUMMARY
UPDATED IMPACTS. Over the course of the aftermath of TC MOCHA, significant damages have been reported to be mainly sustained by houses and infrastructures. In response to the series of rapid intensifications and predicted severe damages by the cyclone, pre-emptive evacuation was conducted. As a testament to its intensity and nature, cyclone-associated severe winds and rainfall resulted in widespread damages and flooding and internal displacement of a significant number of populations from areas along its path and areas hundreds of kilometres away. Latest confirmed casualties and loss are below the hundreds but are expected to increase as communication lines are fully restored. Damage and loss data have steadily increased with estimated costs reaching more than a million US Dollars according to authorities.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
a. As mentioned in the statement of the ASEAN Foreign Minister on the impact of TC MOCHA on Myanmar, ASEAN Member States stand ready to support disaster relief efforts and delivery of humanitarian assistance, including the deployment of the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT). The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also encourage Myanmar to activate the role of the Secretary-General as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG-AHAC) to ensure the overall objective of effective and timely response to the disaster’s impact is achieved, with the assistance of the AHA Centre.
b. A total of 17 townships in Rakhine State and 4 townships in Chin State have been declared by the Government of Myanmar as Natural Disaster-affected areas due to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-18
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.11 MB
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Description:
"Highlights:
• Four days after Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar it is still extremely challenging to get information on the magnitude of the disaster and the number of children and women affected by the crisis.
• Reports of damaged critical infrastructure, including roads, houses, schools and hospitals are reported, as well as intermittent or total power outages. Telecommunications and internet connectivity continue to be major challenges.
• There are concerns about contamination of water sources as a result of storm surges, landslides and flooding in some of the impacted locations.
• Drinking water, shelter, health and food have been consistently identified as priorities by communities consulted.
• The UNICEF funding situation is critical: to date the Myanmar 2023 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for USD 169.6 million is only 11.8 per cent funded.
Situation in Numbers
5.4 million people are estimated to have been in the path of the cyclone across Rakhine and the Northwest (OCHA)
3.2 million people are most vulnerable and likely to have humanitarian needs (OCHA)
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The humanitarian community continues to face challenges in accessing information and in getting approval for travel authorisation to conduct needs assessments and reach affected populations with emergency relief. Network connection and intermittent electricity continue to be major challenges to communicating with partners across the affected areas.
In Northwest, humanitarian access and information availability are main challenges to reach to beneficiaries. Major power lines have been damaged in the west and northeast townships of Magway (Pakokku, Seikphyu, Salin, Yaesagyo, Pauk, Myaing, Saw and Kantkaw) areas. As a result, electricity is not expected to be restored before 19 May 2023.
In Rakhine, many infrastructures are reportedly damaged including public services – electricity, telecommunications, schools, hospitals and connectivity continues to be a major challenge. The latest information identified serious damage to at least 13 camps (out of 21) in Rakhine. It is estimated that 80% of school infrastructure is partially/totally damaged with roofs ripped off and damaged/collapsed walls. Schools reopening in Rakhine in June is therefore in question. Many teachers and volunteer teachers are also directly impacted and have had their homes partially or destroyed.
Concerns have also been raised over the possibility that the destruction caused by the cyclone in the camps for displaced populations (displaced prior to the cyclone) may lead authorities to push individuals to return to their places of origin as part of an effort to close down camps.
In term of the response, recommendations for in-kind assistance seems to be more relevant than cash, according to the community voices, as commodity prices are rapidly rising..."
Source/publisher:
UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-18
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), Education in Burma/Myanmar - general, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
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pdf
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161.93 KB
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Description:
"Highlights:
WFP distributed rations to at least 2,000 people in cyclone shelters in Sittwe (Rakhine State) on 17 May, with plans to reach 6,000 in the coming days.
More than 11,000 hot meals were provided for lunch and dinner to Rohingya refugees who are still unable to return to their shelters in Bangladesh since 13 May.
In Numbers
At least 800,000 people in the direct path of the cyclone will need emergency food assistance in Myanmar, according to initial estimates that could still increase..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-18
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
366.96 KB
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Description:
"Yangon, Myanmar, May 17, 2023 — “On 14th May, Cyclone Mocha made landfall onto the coast of Rakhine State, where early reports from the State's capital, Sittwe, indicate destruction across the city. Humanitarian organizations are working to understand the full extent of the damage after the extreme wind estimated at 250 kmph speed damaged roads, power lines, communication infrastructure and houses, including makeshift shelters in camps for those internally displaced by ongoing conflict.
“Myanmar's geography, with its low-lying areas, puts many communities, including people who are internally displaced, at high risk of flooding and mudslides. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is deeply concerned about these communities, especially those living in displacement camps.
“The arrival of Cyclone Mocha worsens an already dire situation in Rakhine State. Currently, there are over 250,000 people, including Rohingya and others who were displaced due to conflict, residing in displacement camps under extremely harsh conditions including poor sanitation, lack of access to services and severe movement restrictions, making it difficult for them to access essential life-saving services.
“The protracted conflict in Myanmar has weakened critical structures and systems required during crises like this, making the continuity of the health system a top priority in the affected townships of Sittwe, Ponnagyn, Minbya, Rathedaung, and Paletwa. To respond to the needs caused by Cyclone Mocha, the IRC has reassessed and prepositioned emergency personnel and supplies to ensure continued provision of services to those in need. These supplies include items like access to safe drinking water, oral rehydration sachets to prevent water-borne diseases, materials for emergency shelters, and hygiene kits for families. IRC teams are also prepared to deploy mobile health teams to affected communities, and deliver protection services - including psychological first aid - to women and girls.
“Despite the best efforts of humanitarian response, it serves as a temporary solution for a deeply rooted crisis. The impact of Cyclone Mocha, combined with the ongoing conflict, is expected to significantly increase humanitarian needs. However, the current funding for the Humanitarian Response Plan is insufficient. With a mere 10% of the necessary funds available, there is an urgent requirement for substantial additional resources to address the heightened needs arising from the cyclone.”..."
Source/publisher:
International Rescue Committee
Date of publication:
2023-05-17
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
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Description:
"Highlights
The gradual restoration of communications is allowing humanitarian teams to gather a clearer picture of the impact of on millions of people who were in the path of Cyclone Mocha that hit Myanmar with brutal force on Sunday afternoon.
Widescale destruction of homes and public infrastructure throughout Rakhine state is being seen, including in the capital Sittwe and in Rathedaung where there are scenes of widespread devastation.
Partners continued observations in various locations in Sittwe and other townships and are ready to start coordinated field missions to gauge the full scope of the humanitarian situation, as soon as access is granted.
Urgent needs include shelter, clean water, food assistance and healthcare services. There are rising concerns in flooded areas about the spread of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines.
The lack of electricity in certain areas, as well as physical and bureaucratic access constraints, continue to be a challenge. Several bridges providing access to displacement camps in Sittwe have been washed away and are hampering movement.
The road between Yangon and Sittwe has now reopened, potentially providing a transport route for much-needed supplies, if approved. It is also hoped the Sittwe airport will re-open on Thursday.
The impact of the cyclone was also felt heavily in the country’s northwest where houses were blown or washed away. Strong winds and rains have also damaged camps for displaced people in Kachin State.
Efforts are under way to mobilize resources for the response, but an urgent injection of funds is needed with the $764M Humanitarian Response Plan just 10 per cent funded..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-17
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
697.25 KB
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Description:
"As the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha becomes known, we join the people of Myanmar in mourning those lost and are taking immediate action to support humanitarian response efforts. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States is providing an initial $200,000 to supplement ongoing relief activities. This additional funding will provide for critical shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance in Rakhine and Chin States.
In the days prior to Cyclone Mocha’s landfall, U.S. government partners mobilized humanitarian response operations, including prepositioning emergency food, shelter materials, core relief items, and medical supplies.
The U.S. government is working with partners on the ground to evaluate impact and priority needs. It is critical that humanitarian organizations be able to access and serve those communities most in need. The United States is committed to continuing to help those affected in the days, weeks, and months ahead..."
Source/publisher:
U.S. Embassy in Burma
Date of publication:
2023-05-18
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Politics and Government - global and regional - general studies, strategies, theory, The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
more
Description:
"The MAU monitors transport routes to track flows of commercial goods between towns. This rapid CTR presents pre-cyclone baseline data to support of aid delivery following Cyclone Mocha; the data do not reflect post-cyclone conditions. Data are based on MIMU shapefiles and KIIs with market actors. Reports available at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit
Source and Volume of Goods
Most supply of goods to Rakhine State arrives via three central/southern roads from Central Myanmar and by sea from Yangon. Supply to Rakhine State via road arrives through Ann (via Magway), Toungup (via Pyay) and Gwa (via Ayeyarwady Region). Within the state these feeder routes are linked by a single transportation artery running from Gwa in the south to Sittwe in the north. Supply volumes are largest north of Toungup, particularly along the road to Sittwe. Supply via sea from Yangon, while less frequent, delivers supply in large volumes. On Rakhine State's northern borders, supply from Chin State is rare (indeed, Paletwa is dependant upon northern Rakhine for supply), and imports from Bangladesh are limited, informal and poorly-mapped.
In central and northern Rakhine State, waterways exist alongside roads as critical supply channels. Waterways duplicate and in some cases supercede road-based supply in the state's north. Waterways are particularly critical network links for locations like Pauktaw, Paletwa (Chin State), Myebon, and Mrauk-U, and they are important for connecting Kyaukphyu and Sittwe to Yangon by sea. Moreover waterways are critical for last-mile travel: some townships like Rathedaung have large areas with few roads, making waterways critical for reaching villages. Yet water-based supply routes in Rakhine State see less regular traffic than roads, with some major water routes seeing regular trade throughout the week but lessthan-daily.
Route Quality and Seasonal Effect
Major supply routes in Rakhine State have decent quality roads, yet most routes are very susceptible to poor weather. Road quality in Rakhine State is best in central/southern areas and along the major north-south cooridor, and it is worst in remote areas of the north. The conditions created by Cyclone Mocha—like seasonal monsoon conditions in general—can badly impact road and waterway transportation. Some key routes in the far north invariably worsen in heavy rain, and few throughout the state are consistantly reliable. Route conditions are often uncertain poor weather, including those critical for reaching towns like Buthidaung, Pauktaw, Paletwa, and Minbya..."
Source/publisher:
Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-16
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-16
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Economic History, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
7.51 MB
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Description:
"Highlights
Communities continue to clean up and are assessing the damage inflicted by Cyclone Mocha. Almost 5.4 million people are estimated to have been in the path of the cyclone across Rakhine and the Northwest. Of these, early estimates indicate that nearly 3.2 million are considered to be most vulnerable and are considered likely to have humanitarian needs.
Public infrastructure, including hospitals, banks and religious buildings, was badly damaged across the impact zone.
Health, relief items, shelter, clean water, sanitation and hygiene needs are being reported across the board.
In-kind food assistance, rather than cash, is being requested by the affected people as prices for key commodities have gone up exponentially.
Explosive ordnance risks are high in conflict-affected rural areas where landmines may have shifted during flooding and as people have been on the move to safer areas.
Humanitarian partners continue with their field observations in various locations in Sittwe and other townships.
Rapid needs assessments (RNAs) and some preliminary distributions will start once approval is granted in six priority townships in Rakhine, which are considered most affected.
More than 1,200 houses are reported to be completely or partially destroyed in townships across Chin.
Severe flooding has affected more than 100,000 people in villages in Magway and Sagaing. Floodwaters have damaged infrastructure and agricultural fields and washed away animals and personal belongings.
An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impact of the cyclone and subsequent flooding. The pre-existing US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded which does not yet include the cost of responding to cyclone Mocha.
Situation Overview
Significant information gaps still exist. Broken communications lines continue to hinder connections with affected communities, and partners report that some villages are still completely cut off from the internet. By the end of 16 May, telephone lines have partially been restored which will facilitate communication with affected communities and between humanitarian personnel. In many townships in Rakhine, as well as in Paletwa township in southern Chin, a number of organizations continue to face challenges in establishing contact with their staff and partners.
Almost 5.4 million people are estimated to have been in the path of the cyclone, enduring winds in excess of 90 kmph across Rakhine and the Northwest. Of these, nearly 3.2 million are considered to be most vulnerable to the cyclone impact based on analysis of shelter quality, food insecurity and coping capacity. This group is highly likely to have humanitarian needs in the wake of the cyclone.
There are local reports of possible deaths and of people being missing, including IDPs. The UN and its partners are working to start rapid needs assessments as soon as access is granted to better understand the impact of the disaster. Negotiations for access are ongoing.
Reports continue to come in of immediate needs for relief items, shelter, in-kind food, health and WASH support. Concern about waterborne disease outbreaks is high, and close monitoring will be critical. Explosive ordnance risk education and hygiene awareness will also be required, along with psychological support.
Survivors have been sharing harrowing tales of their experiences at the height of the cyclone and their concerns about the rebuilding challenges ahead. “I moved to the evacuation site with my family, seeking safety. After the storm subsided, I went back alone to check on our house. It was completely destroyed. Those who stayed in the camp told me that it was horrible and that their houses were destroyed; they were stranded, unsure where to seek refuge amid these difficult conditions. The camp itself was submerged in water. Several people sustained injuries and are in need of medical care. The people need clean water and food. We also need support to rebuild our houses so we can come back,” shared one of the IDP in Dar Paing Rohingya camp..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-16
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-16
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Natural Disasters - General, Cyclones - regional, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
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Format :
pdf
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1.25 MB (5 pages) - Original versions
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Description:
"This Situation Update is provided by the AHA Centre for use of the ASEAN Member States and relevant stakeholders. The information presented is collected from various sources, including but not limited to ASEAN Member States’ Government Agencies, UN, IFRC, NGOs, Humanitarian and Dialogue Partners, and News Organisations.
Note: Information contained in this document are additional information since the AHA Centre Situation Update #2 (14 May 2023) and until today (16 May 2023 at 1700 HRS UTC+7). You may refer to Situation Update #1 and Situation Update #2 for the previous information.
1. SUMMARY
METEOROLOGICAL HISTORY. Tropical Cyclone MOCHA, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale), made its landfall on 14 May around 1300 HRS UTC+7, in Myanmar landmass, with maximum sustained winds of 250 km/h, and wind gusts up to 305 km/h (ASEAN DMRS). According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) Myanmar, the banding features of the TC MOCHA crossing Rakhine Coast, near Sittwe, was observed starting on 14 May 2023 at 1000 HRS UTC+7, crossing near Paletwa, Chin State starting on 14 May 2023 at 1800 HRS UTC+7, near Matupi, Chin State starting on 14 May at 2200HRS UTC+7, near Katha, Upper Sagaing Region on 15 May at 0600 HRS UTC+7, and crossed Myanmar-China border on 15 May at 1000 HRS UTC+7.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
a. As mentioned in the statement of the ASEAN Foreign Minister on the impact of TC MOCHA on Myanmar, ASEAN Member States stand ready to support disaster relief efforts and delivery of humanitarian assistance, including the deployment of the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT). The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also encourage Myanmar to activate the role of the Secretary-General as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG- AHAC) to ensure the overall objective of effective and timely response to the disaster’s impact is achieved, with the assistance of the AHA Centre.
b. A total of 17 townships in Rakhine State and 4 townships in Chin State have been declared by the Government of Myanmar as Natural Disaster-affected areas due to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-16
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-16
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.24 MB
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Sub-title:
About 1,000 people trapped by seawater rescued amid damage to homes, electricity infrastructure and mobile phone masts
Description:
"Rescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 3.6 metres (12ft) deep along western Myanmar’s coast after a powerful cyclone injured hundreds and cut off communications in one of Asia’s least developed countries.
Strong winds injured more than 700 of about 20,000 people who were sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township such as monasteries, pagodas and schools, according to a leader of the Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association in Sittwe.
Seawater raced into more than 10 low-lying wards near the shore as Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Rakhine state on Sunday afternoon, said the rescue group leader, who asked not to be named due to fear of reprisals from the authorities in the military-run country. Residents moved to roofs and higher floors, while the wind and storm surge prevented immediate rescue.
“After 4pm yesterday the storm weakened a bit but the water did not fall back,” the leader said. “Most of them sat on the roof and at the high places of their houses the whole night. The wind blew all night.”
Water was still about 1.5m (5ft) high in flooded areas on Monday morning but rescues were being made as the wind calmed. The leader asked civil society organisations and authorities to send aid and help evacuate residents.
At least three deaths had been reported earlier in Myanmar, and several injuries were reported in neighbouring Bangladesh, which was spared the predicted direct hit.
Mocha made landfall near Sittwe township with winds blowing up to 209km/h (130mph), Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said. By Monday morning it was downgraded from its severe status and was steadily weakening over land, according to the India Meteorological Department.
High winds crumpled cell phone towers during the day, cutting off communications. In videos collected by local media before communications were lost, deep water raced through streets and wind blew off roofs.
Myanmar’s military information office said the storm had damaged homes, electricity infrastructure, mobile phone masts, boats and lampposts in Sittwe, Kyaukpyu, and Gwa townships. It said the storm also tore roofs off sports facilities on the Coco Islands, about 260 miles (418km) south-west of the country’s largest city, Yangon.
Volunteers previously said shelters in Sittwe did not have enough food after more people arrived there seeking help.
Rakhine-based media reported that streets and the basements of houses in Sittwe’s low-lying areas had been flooded. Rakhine-based media reported that streets were flooded, trapping people in low-lying areas in their homes as worried relatives outside the township appealed for rescue.
More than 4,000 of Sittwe’s 300,000 residents were evacuated to other cities, and more than 20,000 people were sheltering in monasteries, pagodas and schools on higher ground in the city, said Tin Nyein Oo, who is volunteering in Sittwe’s shelters.
Mocha largely spared the Bangladeshi city of Cox’s Bazar, which initially had been in the storm’s predicted path. Authorities had said they evacuated about 1.27 million people before the cyclone veered east.
“The level of risk has reduced to a great extent in Bangladesh,” said Azizur Rahman, director of the country’s meteorological department.
Several deaths were reported as a result of the storm. A rescue team from eastern Shan state announced on its Facebook page that it had recovered the bodies of a couple buried when a landslide hit their house in Tachileik township. Local media reported that a man was crushed to death when a tree fell on him in Pyin Oo Lwin township in central Mandalay region.
Myanmar state television reported that the military government was preparing to send food, medicine and medical personnel to the storm-hit area. After battering Rakhine, the cyclone weakened and was forecast to hit the north-western state of Chin and the central regions on Monday.
Strong winds with rains continued in Saint Martin’s Island in the Bay of Bengal, it was reported, with leading Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo saying about a dozen islanders were injured and around 300 homes destroyed or damaged. One woman was critically wounded, it said.
UN agencies and aid workers in Bangladesh had positioned tons of dry food and dozens of ambulances with mobile medical teams in refugee camps that house more than a million Rohingya people who fled persecution in Myanmar.
In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar with a storm surge that devastated populated areas around the Irrawaddy River delta. At least 138,000 people died and tens of thousands of homes and other buildings were washed away..."
Source/publisher:
"Associated Press" (New York) via "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication:
2023-05-15
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), The discussion on humanitarian assistance to Burma, Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
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Description:
"Highlights
• Communities have spent the day cleaning up and counting the cost of Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha that smashed Myanmar’s western states and regions on Sunday and continues to bring heavy rain in some areas as a depression.
• Mocha was one of the strongest cyclones ever to hit the country and has left a trail of devastation, particularly in the state capital, Sittwe.
• Few houses have escaped damage in Sittwe and there is widespread destruction of flimsy bamboo longhouses in displacement camps.
• Health, relief items, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene needs are already being reported. Explosive ordnance risks are high in conflict-affected rural areas where landmines may have been shifted during flooding and where people have been on the move to safer areas.
• Communications with partners on the ground was partially restored during the day but still remains limited after extensive damage to telecommunications towers. 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 (RNAs) in the field on 16 May to confirm the magnitude of impact from the cyclone and the immediate assistance that is required. A priority will be assessing the damage in the following locations: Sittwe, Pauktaw, Rathedaung, Maungdaw,
Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw.
• Early reports have also started coming in of widespread flooding and needs in the Northwest – an area that is also heavily conflict-affected.
• An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impact of the cyclone and subsequent flooding. To date, the US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded.
Situation Overview
The Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha crossed the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township, near Rakhine’s capital of Sittwe in Myanmar at lunchtime on 14 May.
Winds were estimated as high as 250 kmph.
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. In Sittwe, most housing is thought to have been damaged in some way and many flimsy long houses in IDP camps have been destroyed.
In addition to immediate NFI, shelter, and WASH needs, the affected population will require prompt emergency healthcare, including lifesaving and trauma care and continuous primary healthcare services (maternal and child healthcare and non-communicable diseases care). Psychosocial First Aid for affected people after the disaster is also critical. The potential for communicable disease outbreaks in affected areas is high, requiring close monitoring. Moreover, landmines and other explosive remnants of war pose risks to communities moving to safer areas or returning home. The ongoing flooding and landslides can dislodge or carry the devices to locations previously deemed safe.
Rakhine
• On 15 May, the Rakhine State de facto authorities under Section 11 of the National Disaster Management Act declared all 17 townships in Rakhine to have been affected by the cyclone.
• Affected communities have spent the day cleaning up the debris strewn across the area, especially in Sittwe which took a direct hit from the cyclone on Sunday.
• Houses across Sittwe and other towns in Rakhine have lost roofs, walls and sheeting. Displacement camps and sites are particularly badly damaged.
• Based on field staff observations in Sittwe, shelter and WASH assistance are priority needs across all communities.
One partner reported significant damage to latrines and shelter in IDP sites in Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun townships.
There are unconfirmed reports of people missing in some IDP camps in Sittwe township, including Basara, Dar Pai, and Thae Chaung IDP camp, which flooded heavily due to proximity to the coast. Three bridges near Dar Pai, Thae Chaung, and Thet Kae Pyin IDP camps have collapsed. Fishing boats were also smashed together during the cyclone.
• Some of the IDPs are still staying in cyclone shelters near the camps, with some reports of injuries and needs for medical treatment. Those staying in temporary shelters, such as schools, require assistance.
• 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. Local fire brigades and charity groups/volunteers were seen clearing streets in Maungdaw, Mrauk-U, and Sittwe townships.
• Many people remain in evacuation shelters, although there are reports that families have started to return to their homes to assess the damage, including some 6,000 people in Mrauk-U who had been evacuated on 14 May. The Thein Nyo displacement site hosting around 2,860 IDPs in Mrauk-U was reportedly destroyed, along with 80 houses in the host community, according to local media reports. This is to be confirmed.
• The Mytel phone network is reportedly working intermittently in Kyauktaw township, and reports from there indicate significant damage. Local media reported near total damage to some 260 houses in Oke Kyut village in Kyauktaw township. Also in Kyauktaw, 2 school buildings providing free education to more than 600 students were reportedly destroyed by the cyclone. This damage is to be confirmed.
• In Minbya township, around 40 houses in Tha Yet Oke village were destroyed, according to local media.
• Township authorities have reportedly been deployed to assess initial damage in villages in Rakhine.
• Limited information has been received from the northern townships of Buthidaung and Maungdaw due to telecoms being down, where more than half of the shelters are either temporary or semipermanent, placing households at very high risk in case they were not able to reach evacuation centres.
A major clean-up operation was underway in Maungdaw during the day according to partners, as the community attempted to clear fallen trees that were blocking roads. There are no reports of flooding the Maungdaw downtown area but the situation in the countryside is not yet known.
• In Ponnagyun, the OCHA field team observed that most houses were collapsed and damaged in Kun Taung, Pa Day Thar, Sin Inn Gyi, and Ywar Thar Yar, including heavy damage to roofs. So far, there have been no reports of death or injuries there by local communities..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-15
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Public Health, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.7 MB
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Description:
"Highlights
• Damage to structures and many roads initially blocked as a result of fallen trees and power lines when Cyclone Mocha made landfall on the Rakhine coast on Sunday, 14 May around midday. Cleanup crews were out on Sunday evening and Monday, with very heavy winds and rain lasting until around 15.30. Heavy rains and winds continued into late evening.
• The storm moved further north-northeast towards Myanmar’s Chin State and Sagaing Region, which are at high risk of landslides and localized flooding.
• Information on the full picture and impact on communities is not yet available due to downed telecommunications and intermittent availability of internet, and inaccessibility of some roads due to trees falling and debris.
• UNICEF, in coordination with OCHA and other humanitarian organisations, is still working to assess the situation and needs on the ground.
• The UNICEF funding situation is critical: to date the Myanmar 2023 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for USD 169.6 million is only 11.8 per cent funded.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Over 16 million people are in the path of Cyclone Mocha, including 1,751,284 people living in areas that will be affected by sustained wind speeds of >120km/h.1 The humanitarian situation in the anticipated affected areas is already of grave concern, particularly for the 232,100 people displaced across Rakhine and over 1 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Northwest.
Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar on 14 May, with heavy rain, storm surges and strong winds reported in Rakhine, particularly in the state capital Sittwe. Telecommunications with these areas have been cut since the afternoon of 14 May, making it impossible to have a more accurate update on the extent of damage. Flooding was less than predicted but did reach West Sanpiya ward, Sittwe Hotel and the UNICEF office.
There was damage to structures and many roads were initially blocked as a result of fallen trees and power lines. Cleanup crews were out on Sunday evening and Monday, and some roads have now been cleared. However, efforts are likely to take some time, due to the extent of damage.
Sittwe Airport, which was closed last week, seems to have reopened, likely for military flights, as four flights were reportedly observed overhead in one-hour period. No information is available so far regarding if or when domestic flights will resume.
In the Northwestern States, there has been severe damage due to heavy rains and wind and floods are reported in Magway and Sagaing, where heavy rains and limited capacity for shelters are reported for all IDPs. Armed attacks have also been reported in Kani, Khin U and Monywa.
The UNICEF office in Sittwe suffered substantial damage and will likely be out of service for a substantial period. A temporary office space will be identified while assessment of office viability and next steps are undertaken.
Initial estimates by the Inter Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) indicate that 200,000 people will need humanitarian assistance in Rakhine and a further 500,000 people in the Northwest. Humanitarian teams are trying to attempt assessment of camps and wards around Sittwe..."
Source/publisher:
UN Children's Fund (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-15
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Human Rights and international relations, Natural Disasters - General, Cyclones - regional
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
231.34 KB
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Description:
"In Numbers
8.7 million people live in the path of Cyclone Mocha. The cyclone has struck near Sittwe, one of the least developed parts of Myanmar. In neighbouring Bangladesh, nearly 1 million people living in the world’s largest refugee camp also felt the storm’s impact.
Highlights
WFP is stepping up to respond in Bangladesh and Myanmar;
WFP provided 28,000 Bangladeshis in Teknaf cash before the cyclone struck, and 3,400 Rohingya refugees with fortified biscuits. It is resuming regular assistance to Bangladesh.
In Myanmar, WFP is mobilizing emergency food and nutrition assistance to 800,000 people affected by the cyclone, many of them already displaced by conflict..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-15
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
7.09 MB
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Description:
"In Numbers
At least 800,000 people in the direct path of the cyclone will need emergency food assistance in Myanmar, according to initial estimates that could still increase1
960,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remain at risk and continue to receive WFP assistance.
250km/h winds were inflicted by Cyclone Mocha.
Highlights
In Myanmar, WFP is mobilizing emergency food and cash assistance for at least 800,000 people affected by the cyclone .
Figures could still increase following assessments.
In Bangladesh, WFP provided 28,000 Bangladeshis in Teknaf with cash before the cyclone struck, and 6,000 Rohingya refugees with fortified biscuits and hot meals immediately after. WFP is working to resuming its regular assistance..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-15
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
333 KB
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Description:
"Relief International is mobilizing immediate assistance to address the catastrophic aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, a deadly storm that has made landfall in Bangladesh and Myanmar. The cyclone poses a particularly grave threat to the stateless Rohingya community and host communities, who are already living in extremely vulnerable conditions.
With approximately 1 million Rohingya refugees seeking shelter in massively overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the situation is dire. Most reside in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters on precarious hilled slopes, which are only able to withstand wind speeds of up to approximately 24 mph. Unfortunately, Cyclone Mocha’s winds are expected to reach an alarming 175 mph, rendering the shelters highly susceptible to destruction.
The low-lying areas of the camps are anticipated to flood rapidly, further exacerbating the crisis by destroying shelters and education facilities. Relief International remains committed to providing updates as the events unfold and the full extent of the impact becomes clear.
Aleksander Kuzmanovic, Country Director for Relief International in Myanmar, has stated,
“In Myanmar, Relief International is currently responding by providing immediate support to evacuation centers in the townships of Myebon and Kyaukphyu. We are distributing essential food and water items to approximately 5,000 people for the next four days.
As of 12 noon local time, all staff members are accounted for and safe. Due to damage to communication towers in Sittwe, our communication channels are currently limited. The area is still within the eyewall of the storm, and we anticipate the storm to start diminishing from approximately 18.00h local time.”
Nazrul Islam, Deputy Country Director at Relief International in Bangladesh, highlights the catastrophic impact the cyclone will have on the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar refugee camp. Islam said,
“Families already living in fragile homes will be devastated by the storm, with wind speeds predicted to reach 180 kmph. Refugee families in landslide-prone areas and patients with critical conditions are being relocated, while solid structures within the camp are being made available as temporary shelters.
Relief International’s Mobile Medical Teams are prepared to respond to emergency needs. We are also ready to provide medical equipment, medicines, emergency vehicles, food stocks, and shelter. However, additional funding will be urgently required to address the long-lasting impact of this very severe cyclone.”
Relief International has been serving communities in Myanmar for over 15 years, providing essential healthcare consultations to 48,000 individuals annually and delivering vital protection and support services to 50,000 people per year. In Bangladesh, Relief International has been actively working for nearly two decades, providing protection and support services to 68,000 Rohingya refugees. Our organization extends 116,000 healthcare consultations annually to those who have fled violence and persecution, as well as to members of the host communities.
Relief International is only able to respond rapidly to communities in crisis thanks to the support of our donors. Donations to www.ri.org/donate help provide critical aid, including medical assistance, essential items, and food supplies as well as support for long-term recovery to communities affected by Cyclone Mocha, and many other crises across the globe..."
Source/publisher:
Relief International
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
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Description:
"Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition
According to the observations at (03:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over the East Central Bay of Bengal has moved North- Northeastwards and centered at about (260) Nautical miles Northwest of Coco Island, (215) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Hainggyigyun, (160) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Sittwe, (390) Nautical miles North-Northwest of Port Blair (India) and (210) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
The present stage of the Storm is coded red stage.
Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (18.0) degree North and Longitude (91.2) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (938) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (125-135) miles per hour at (03:30) hrs MST today.
During next (36) hours forecast
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and may start to cross Rakhine Coasts today morning and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around today afternoon as a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”.
General caution
Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023).
From today morning, frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (16-20) feet in off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Deltaic Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (10-14) feet in off and along Deltaic Coasts.
The maximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States.
When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State.
Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
more
Description:
"Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition
According to the observations at (05:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over the East Central Bay of Bengal has moved North-Northeastwards and centered at about (135) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Sittwe, (145) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Kyaukpyu, (235) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Hainggyigyun and (180) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
The present stage of the Storm is coded red stage.
Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (18.5) degree North and Longitude (91.2) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (938) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (125-135) miles per hour at (05:30) hrs MST today.
During next (36) hours forecast
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost band start to cross the Rakhine Coasts and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around today afternoon as a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”.
General caution
Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023).
During next (24)hrs, frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (16-20) feet in off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Deltaic Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (10-14) feet in off and along Deltaic Coasts.
The maximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States.
When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State.
Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
more
Description:
"Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition
According to the observations at (07:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over the East Central Bay of Bengal has moved Northeastwards and now lies over East Central Bay and adjoining Northeast Bay of Bengal centered at about (120) Nautical miles Southwest of Sittwe, (130) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Kyaukpyu, (235) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Hainggyigyun and (165) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
The present stage of the Storm is coded red stage.
Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (18.7) degree North and Longitude (91.4) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (931) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (130-137) miles per hour at (07:30) hrs MST today.
During next (36) hours forecast
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost band start to cross the Rakhine Coasts and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around today afternoon as a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”.
General caution
Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023).
During next (24)hrs, frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (16-20) feet in off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Deltaic Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (10-14) feet in off and along Deltaic Coasts.
The maximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States.
When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State.
Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
more
Description:
"Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition
According to the observations at (09:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over Northeast Bay and adjoining East Central Bay of Bengal has moved Northeastwards and centered at about (100) Nautical miles Southwest of Sittwe,(115) Nautical miles West- Southwest of Kyaukpyu, (240) Nautical miles Northwest of Hainggyigyun (Myanmar) and (150) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
The banding features of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Stormis crossing Rakhine Coast, near Sittwe (Myanmar), the present stage of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm is coded brown stage.
Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (19.0) degree North and Longitude (91.6) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (938) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (130-137) miles per hour at (09:30) hrs MST today.
During next (36) hours forecast
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost banding featuresofcyclonic storm is crossing Rakhine Coast, the centre of cyclonic storm will forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around afternoon of today as aExtremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”.
General caution
Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023).
Frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and wave height will be about (16-20) feet off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced off and along Deltaic, surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h and wave height will be about (10-14) feet off and along Deltaic during next (24) hours.
Themaximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) mph in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States.
When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District and Maungdaw District, Rakhine State.
Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
more
Description:
"(Myanmar, 14 May 2023)- The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are standing ready to provide lifesaving disaster assistance to communities hit by Cyclone Mocha which is forecast to make landfall in Myanmar’s Rakhine State later today.
“Communities are bracing for the arrival of this extremely severe cyclone which is expected to be packing winds gusting to 210 kmph when it crosses the coast,” Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. Ramanathan Balakrishnan said.
The cyclone is forecast to bring strong winds and significant storm surge to coastal areas in Rakhine and evacuations of low-lying areas are already well underway through local authorities. The large weather system is expected to then move inland, bringing heavy rain in areas where there is a high risk of landslides and flooding.
Even before the cyclone, an estimated 6 million people are already in humanitarian need in the states where impacts are currently projected (Rakhine, Chin, Magway and Sagaing). Collectively, these states in the country’s west host 1.2 million displaced people, many of whom are fleeing conflict and are living in the open without proper shelter. It will also be a dangerous 24 hours for hundreds of thousands of refugees in camps in Bangladesh who are also likely to face strong winds and heavy rain as the cyclone passes just over the border in Myanmar.
“For a cyclone to hit an area where there is already such deep humanitarian need is a nightmare scenario, impacting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people whose coping capacity has been severely eroded by successive crises,” Mr Balakrishnan said.
The humanitarian community activated its Emergency Response Preparedness Plan at the start of the week and has been engaging with all stakeholders to ensure readiness to respond. Aid organizations have been working around the clock to get humanitarian assistance to the areas most likely to be impacted and make sure affected communities know how to keep themselves safe.
“We have done everything we can to prepare by pre-positioning personnel and available stocks across the affected area so that we are ready to respond as soon as the cyclone has passed. Access to affected people and increased funding will be critical to making this assistance possible over the critical days ahead,” the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i noted.
The Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan.) is less than 10 per cent funded with some essential sectors not yet receiving any funding yet this year.
“An urgent injection of funding is desperately needed so that we can ensure no one is left behind as a result of this cyclone but also so that we can keep responding to the 17.6 million people already in need as a result of other crises nationwide. I urge donors to give generously in support of the people of Myanmar at this difficult time,” Mr Balakrishnan said..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
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Description:
"There are grave concerns about the condition of around one million people living in Myanmar’s Rakhine state where the powerful cyclone Mocha made landfall today, Islamic Relief’s head of programmes for Myanmar and Bangladesh has said.
This includes around 150,000 Rohingya refugees living in camps in the Sittwe and Pauktaw townships of Myanmar, and over 600,000 Rohingya, alongside Rakhine people living in the countryside of Rakhine state.
The centre of the cyclone made landfall on coast of Myanmar’s Rakhine state near Sittwe township with wind speeds up to 209 kilometres per hour. The full extent of the damage in the country is still unclear but there are concerns the destruction in the nearby camps and rural areas will be severe.
Heavy rain and strong winds have already brought localised flooding across Rakhine, with communities fleeing to higher ground to try and find safety. Houses have been impacted, trees have been felled, power lines have gone down and the main mobile tower in Sittwe collapsed.
Islamic Relief believes the damage in the countryside could be worse than in the towns because the people tend to be poorer and live in buildings which are more vulnerable.
The state of Rakhine where the cyclone hit most severely is a conflict zone and already has around 6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance living within its borders.
Sharif Ahmed, Islamic Relief head of programmes for Myanmar and Bangladesh, said, “The needs in Myanmar are huge. Rakhine was already a poverty hit state before the powerful cyclone Mocha hit. The impact of this cyclone will be very high in Myanmar’s Rakhine state because of the existing conflict and the extremely poor socio economic condition of the people in Rakhine state. Poverty is very high and is the primary reason this storm will have such a destructive impact on these people and their lives.”
Islamic Relief is preparing to respond through local partners in Myanmar with food supplies and temporary shelter for those who need help and is planning efforts to clear the damage in refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.
The cyclone struck Bangladesh less severely than expected with the world’s largest refugee camp which is near Cox’s Bazar in the south east of the country not as badly hit as expected. But there’s still danger rains from the storm could destabilise the mud foundations of the buildings in those camps..."
Source/publisher:
Islamic Relief (Birmingham) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Public Health, Rohingya (cultural, political etc.), Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
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Description:
"Highlights
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha crossed the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township in Myanmar at lunchtime on 14 May (local time) packing winds estimated at around 250 kmph, making it one of the strongest cyclones on record in the country.
Heavy rains, storm surge and strong winds have been recorded across the affected areas throughout the day with flooding in low-lying areas of Rakhine, particularly in and around the state capital, Sittwe.
Thousands of people spent the day sheltering in evacuation centres and in relatives’ houses inland from the coast, where they will remain tonight until the winds subside.
The ongoing wild weather in Rakhine and telecommunications interruptions mean it has not yet been possible to assess the full magnitude of the disaster, but early reports suggest the damage is extensive and needs among already vulnerable communities, particularly displaced people, will be high.
The UN and its humanitarian partners have spent the week preparing for the cyclone’s arrival and have been pre-positioning stocks and personnel ready to assess and respond to needs as soon as it is safe to do so. With the cyclone now losing intensity and moving inland, humanitarian teams plan to begin this work tomorrow.
An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impacts of the cyclone and subsequent flooding. To date, the US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan is only 10 per cent funded.
Situation Overview
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha made landfall at 1230hrs on 14 May, crossing the coast between Kyaukpyu township (close to Sittwe) in Myanmar and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh with stronger than expected winds. The cyclone approached the coast with maximum sustained wind speeds of roughly 250 kmph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Storm surge estimated at 3-3.5 meters has inundated low lying areas in Rakhine and the adjoining southeast Bangladesh coast this afternoon, with significant water entering Sittwe around 1400hrs, flooding many parts of the town.
Extremely strong winds have knocked down power lines, uprooted trees, and damaged and destroyed houses. Communications with the affected areas are currently limited after extensive damage to telecommunications towers during the cyclone. Partners are reporting slow or non-existent internet, with zero connectivity in some areas which is hampering the collection of information on impacts tonight. Early reports indicate significant damage to houses and other infrastructure in Sittwe and Gwa townships, including roofs being torn off homes. Local media reported people unable to leave their homes in Sittwe due to the storm surge and rising water. Evacuations of displacement camps and residential areas in low-lying took place prior to the cyclone’s arrival but it is not clear if everyone in the path of the cyclone was able to reach these sites and at least some of these evacuation centres were damaged by the strong winds at the peak of the cyclone.
There is no confirmation yet of damage levels in the northern townships of Maungdaw and Buthidaung where more than half of the shelters are either temporary or semi-permanent, placing households at very high risk in case they were not able to reach evacuation centres. No confirmed reports have yet been received of significant damage in Ayeyarwady.
The weather system is weakening as it continues to move towards the country’s Northwest. It will weaken into a depression by 15 May over Sagaing before moving towards Kachin. Heavy rainfall and winds are expected over the coming days as it moves across the country through areas that are highly prone to flooding and/or landslides..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
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pdf
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707.43 KB
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Sub-title:
Call for urgent international action to support Myanmar for emergency response to Cyclone Mocha
Description:
"The powerful cyclone Mocha made its landfall through around Sittwe city, Rakhine Coastal Region with maximum wind gusts of (120) miles per hour on this morning 11:30 am local time. It was reported that there were (5) deaths and some injured cases in Rakhine, Shan, Mandalay and Ayeyarwaddy due to the cyclone and its follow-up incidents by 6:00 pm local time today.
Though it is too early to gauge the magnitude of the devastation, it is likely to bring a massive humanitarian catastrophe to Myanmar where several thousand population are in dire need of humanitarian assistance due to the inhumane suppression of the military junta and its subordinates.
Welcoming the measures and efforts taken by UN agencies and aid organizations, it is important not to miss providing relief assistances to the most vulnerable community including IDPs all over the country, particularly for those who live in the areas controlled by revolution alliances and ethnic resistance organizations. The majority of high risk areas to be affected by Mocha are no longer under the full control of the junta military such as Rakhine, Chin and most of the rural areas in Sagaing. Magway.
It is estimated that military junta will hamper rescue and humanitarian operations of humanitarian actors from reaching affected people in those areas. Using the threat of cyclone as an advantage, the junta launched military operations in Sagaing and Thanintari until May 13 causing the life-threatening situation for the IDPs.
On the other hand, as an accountable and responsible true government of Myanmar, National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar organized the Emergency Operation Coordination Committee (EOCC) for the effective engagement with international community and humanitarian actors in response to the potential impacts of the cyclone Mocha. We had made preparations in Sagaing. Magway, Bego, Ayeyarwaddy and Thanintari regions in collaboration with local humanitarian actors and revolution alliances. Assistance for preparedness and emergency response were also provided through local community based organisations and ethnic representatives in Rakhine and Chin. In addition, we already engaged with the community based organisations who are working for the Rohingya community in Rakhine State and border area. Emergencyrelief operations have been started and will raise the support accordingly based on the findings of initial assessments.
We welcome the international actors to collaborate with EOCC for providing relief assistances and rescue mission to the vulnerable community in Myanmar. The initial situation report is released together with this call and you may reach us at [email protected] and signal naumber +66 97 089 0918 for any inquires..."
Source/publisher:
National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
National Unity Government (NUG), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
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53.89 KB
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Description:
"Note: Information contained in this document are additional information since the AHA Centre Situation Update #1 (12 May 2023) and until today (14 May 2023 at 1700 HRS UTC+7). You may refer to Situation Update #1 (12 May 2023) for the previous information.
1. SUMMARY
a. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION. Tropical Cyclone MOCHA, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale), has made its landfall today, 14 May afternoon, in Myanmar landmass, with maximum sustained winds of 250 km/h, and wind gusts up to 305 km/h. According to the latest available forecast, TC MOCHA is headed Northeast at about 26 km/h, and is expected to weaken over the next 24 hours.
b. LANDFALL: According to Department of Meteorology and Hydrology at 1430 HRS UTC+7, TC MOCHA has crossed Rakhine Coast, near Sittwe (Myanmar). The present stage of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm is coded brown stage. Brown Color Emergency Stage means the storm is crossing Myanmar Coasts currently. After made its landfall in the coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around afternoon of 14 May as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm, MOCHA is likely to continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway Region as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm; then towards Sagaing Regionas a Cyclonic Storm; and towards Kachin State as a deep land depression..."
Source/publisher:
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
Date of publication:
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
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Format :
pdf
Size:
581.66 KB
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Description:
"Tropical Cyclone MOCHA is likely to cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Sittwe (Myanmar) on 14 May with maximum sustained wind speed of 150-160 km/h with gusts up to 175 km/h. Coasts and offshore islands are expected to be inundated with 5-7 feet tidal surge.
In Myanmar, 285 000 displaced people are directly exposed to the Cyclone in Rakhine and Chin. Thousands of families have been pre-evacuated. There are already about 6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.2 million people displaced in the Northwest who are already living in precarious conditions in camps, displacement sites or in forests without proper shelter.
In Bangladesh, 2.8 million people in Bandarban, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati are to be evacuated. Refugees’ camps hosting one million Rohingya refugees could be significantly affected. Preparedness activities are still ongoing in terms of prepositioning of stocks and resources. Flights to Cox’s Bazar are cancelled.
In India, heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in the northeast states..."
Source/publisher:
European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
Date of publication:
2023-05-13
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-13
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Flooding in Burma/Myanmar, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
Language:
more
Description:
"Highlights
Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha continues to intensify in the Bay of Bengal and will likely cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township, Myanmar’s Rakhine State during the afternoon on 14 May with winds gusting up to 200 kmph.
Heavy rain and strong winds associated with the cyclone are expected to cause flooding across Rakhine, where many townships and displacement sites are in low-lying areas and highly prone to flooding.
Many communities are already moving to higher ground to designated evacuation centers or to safer areas staying with relatives.
Humanitarian organizations are gearing up for a large-scale emergency response at the national level, as well as in Rakhine and the Northwest (Chin, Mayway, Sagaing), pending timely and unhindered access. Advocacy on access and supply importation issues is underway.
Refresher training sessions have been conducted on Rapid Needs Assessments to over 400 humanitarian actors across Rakhine and the Northwest in the past two days to ensure a coordinated response.
An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impacts of the cyclone and any subsequent flooding. To date, the US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded
Situation Overview
As of 13 May, cyclone Mocha has moved further north-northeastwards over the Bay of Bengal and intensified to an extremely severe cyclone. It is very likely to move further north-northeastwards and intensify further over the east-central Bay of Bengal. It is forecast to cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township in Myanmar around noon on 14 May. The cyclone is expected to land with a maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph, gusting to over 200 kmph. Thereafter it is expected to continue further north-northeastwards towards Chin and Sagaing in Myanmar which are at high risk from landslides. Flood warnings are being issued in many areas across all townships in Rakhine with storm surge as high as 3 meters.
After the local authorities issued evacuation advice for low-lying and coastal areas in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Myebon,
Pauktaw, and Sittwe townships in Rakhine, more than 100,000 people, including some displaced people, moved to designated evacuation shelters by 13 May. Many others have moved to stay with relatives on higher ground. In the Northwest, as of 13 May several buildings, including monasteries, schools, and religious sites were designated as evacuation centers by local authorities in light of the expected impact of cyclone Mocha in Chin, Magway and Sagaing.
“For the past two days, we have seen many families leaving the low-lying areas of Sittwe town in tuk-tuks and small trucks moving to safer places. They are seeking safety inland in other townships or in the designated evacuation sites in Sittwe town. During our visit to one of the monasteries in town today, we met with families who already moved to the monastery. They moved with limited belongings and dry food for a few nights,” shared one of the OCHA field team members in Sittwe.
OCHA is following up with the local authorities to ensure all communities are relocated before the cyclone makes landfall. Flights to Rakhine were already cancelled and Sittwe airport is now closed..."
Source/publisher:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication:
2023-05-13
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-13
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global
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"BANGKOK - The World Food Programme (WFP) is closely monitoring Cyclone Mocha, which is expected to make landfall this Sunday in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Working with partners, WFP is gearing up for a large-scale emergency response, putting in place contingency plans, and prepositioning food and relief supplies, vehicles, and emergency equipment. Heavy rainfall is forecast, with the possible risk of floods and landslides, which could impact hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in areas likely to be in the cyclone’s trajectory.
In Myanmar, WFP has pre-positioned enough food to cover the needs of more than 400,000 people in Rakhine State and neighbouring areas for one month. In Bangladesh, WFP fortified biscuits and 230 mt of food stock are ready to be dispatched if needed in and around the camps for the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
“We are preparing for the worst, while hoping for the best. Cyclone Mocha is heading to areas burdened by conflict, poverty, and weak community resilience. Many of the people most likely to be affected are already reliant on regular humanitarian assistance from WFP. They simply cannot afford another disaster,” said Sheela Matthew, WFP Myanmar Deputy Country Director.
Anticipating interruptions to transport and telecommunications services, WFP teams are also putting in place systems to serve the broader humanitarian community with their preparations and potential response to the cyclone.
“The Rohingya refugees are extremely vulnerable to climate shocks, given how disaster-prone the area is and the poor living conditions in the camps. We ask the donor community to continue supporting them in getting through this cyclone and also many other challenges they face, including reduced food assistance due to shrinking donor funding,” said Simone Parchment, WFP Bangladesh Deputy Country Director.
Unimpeded humanitarian access to support communities in need will be critical in responding to any immediate impacts of the cyclone and for the longer-term recovery process..."
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (Rome)
Date of publication:
2023-05-13
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-13
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
WFP (World Food Programme), Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Climate Change - Migration Global, Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General
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"Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, May 12, 2023 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that Cyclone Mocha is set to strike Cox's Bazar refugee camp, home to over one million Rohingya refugees.
The cyclone's expected landfall this weekend could cause severe damage. Still reeling from a devastating fire in March that destroyed more than 2,600 shelters and critical infrastructure, over 850,000 refugees risk losing their homes and livelihoods. Strong wind, heavy rains, and subsequent flash floods and mudslides could destroy shelters, community centers, and health clinics, depriving thousands of essential services and humanitarian aid. Host communities, including Teknaf, Kutubdia, Saint Martin's Island, and nearby areas, may also be heavily affected.
In preparation, more than 3,000 Rohingya refugees have been trained to respond to flooding and mudslides. Meanwhile, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is scaling up its emergency response in Cox's Bazar. Three mobile medical teams will be deployed to remote areas in the camps and communities to provide emergency medical treatment. Additionally, a Mobile Protection Unit designed for emergency settings will offer protection services to vulnerable groups such as women, girls, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
Hasina Rahman, IRC Bangladesh Director, said,
“Time and again, we have seen the devastating impact of extreme weather events in Cox’s Bazar. Since 2017, countless shelters, schools, health clinics and safe spaces for survivors of Gender-Based Violence have been decimated as a result of floods and mudslides, as well as preventable tragedies such as the fire in March this year.
“As a low-lying country with major cities in coastal areas, Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change, which makes annual weather events - such as cyclones - more intense and frequent. The impacts - loss of life, destroyed crops, challenges to livelihoods, damage to homes and infrastructure - are often borne by the people and communities who have contributed least to the climate crisis: Bangladesh, for example, emits less than 1% of global CO2 emissions. They are unable to cope with continued weather shocks without support that addresses the effects of climate change, such as early warning systems, anticipatory action, improving infrastructure to protect against flooding, and investment into climate adaptation.
“It is crucial to fortify shelters and critical infrastructure against natural disasters. This involves using durable construction materials to strengthen community facilities like child-friendly spaces, learning facilities, and mosques, which serve as safe points during emergencies. Additionally, the Government of Bangladesh needs to develop an inclusive evacuation plan in collaboration with UN agencies, humanitarian organisations, and the refugee and host communities. The plan should prioritise access to emergency shelters, ensuring family unity, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.”
The IRC began responding to the Rohingya crisis in August 2017 and launched its response officially in March 2018. With over 400 staff in Bangladesh and operating across 27 camps across the district, our teams provide essential healthcare to the host community as well as Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar, as well as reproductive and maternal healthcare, child protection, education, prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence, and Emergency Disaster Risk Reduction (EDRR)..."
Source/publisher:
International Rescue Committee
Date of publication:
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-12
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Cyclones - regional, Natural Disasters - General, Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general, Public Health, Burmese refugees in Bangladesh
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"Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition
According to the observations at (04:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over Southeast Bay of Bengal has moved Nearly Northwards. It is centered at about (320) Nautical miles West-Southwest of CoCo Island, (415) Nautical miles Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (520) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (290) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Port Blair (India) and (565) Nautical miles South-South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is coded orange stage.
Position of Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind
Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (12.8) degree North and Longitude (88.0) degree East, centre pressure of Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (991) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (60-70) miles per hour at (04:30) hrs MST today.
During next (3) days forecast
Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely to move nearly Northwards during next (6) hours and intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm“MOCHA”over Central Bay of Bengal. It is continue to move North-Northeastwards and forecast to cross Southeast Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around (14.5.2023).
General caution
Due to the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw, Upper SagaingRegion and Kachin, Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023).
From today morning to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (90-110) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (13-16) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (9-12) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts.
Due to the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, maximum wind speed may reach (40-45) mph in Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy Regions and Rakhine State during next (24) hours.
Due to the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, maximum wind speed may reach (100-110) mph in Rakhine State and (40-60) mph in NayPyiTaw, Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy Regions and Chin State during (13.5.2023) to (15.5.2023).
When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (10)ft to (14)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State and (7)ft to (10)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Kyaukpyu District, Rakhine State.
Advisory
Under the influence of the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-12
Grouping:
Individual Documents
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388.6 KB
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"Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition
According to the observations at (17:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”over Central Bay of Bengalhas moved North-Northeastwards and centered at about (290) Nautical miles West of Coco Island, (350) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (425) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (310) Nautical miles Northwest of Port Blair (India) and (475) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
It is moving towards Bangladesh-Rakhine Coasts, the present stage of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is coded orange stage.
Position of Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind
The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (14.4) degree North and Longitude (88.4) degree East, centre pressure of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (974) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (80-90) miles per hour at (17:30) hrs MST today.
During next (3) days forecast
The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and intensify into a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”over East Central Bay of Bengal during tonight and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”around (14.5.2023).
General caution
Due to the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw, Upper Sagaing Region and Kachin, Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from tonight to (15.5.2023).
From tonight to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (90-110) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (14-18) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (9-12) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts.
Due to the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, maximum wind speed may reach (100-110) mph in Rakhine State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State during tonight to (15.5.2023).
When crossing the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (12)ft to (16)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State and (9)ft to (12)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Kyaukpyu District, Rakhine State.
Under the influence of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher:
Government of Myanmar
Date of publication:
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update:
2023-05-12
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
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