Category 5 cyclone Mocha wreaked havoc in parts of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The tropical cyclone made landfall on the west coast of the two neighboring countries on Sunday with winds of more than 200 km/h. It was the strongest cyclone in more than a decade.
Photos and videos from the affected areas showed many roofed houses and huts. There was rubble everywhere. Many trees and power poles have also snapped. Heavy rainfall and storm surges also caused severe flooding. Communication with the region was difficult on Monday. In the morning (local time) there were no telephone connections with the particularly hard-hit Rakhine State in Myanmar.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Sunday evening: “Initial reports indicate that the damage is significant and that the needs of already vulnerable communities, particularly those displaced, will be great.”
Hundreds of thousands of people had already been brought to safety in both countries as a precaution. Apparently that saved many lives – even though there are isolated reports of fatalities.
shelters destroyed
Crisis-ravaged Myanmar has been engulfed in chaos and violence since a coup two years ago. More than a million people are already living as internally displaced persons, often in emergency shelters. The city of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh was also hit. About a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar live there in makeshift housing in the world’s largest concentration of refugee camps.
Tens of thousands of them were affected by the storm, the UN refugee agency UNHCR wrote on Twitter. Many lost their homes and possessions. Learning centers, bridges and roads were also badly damaged.
Fear of repercussions like in 2008
Many in the region had feared that “Mocha” could have as dire consequences as Cyclone “Nargis” 15 years ago: In May 2008, the tropical storm in Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Delta killed nearly 140,000 people, according to estimates.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
