Cyclone Mocha, category 5, “very severe”, and with winds of more than 150 kilometers per hour, has devastated several areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar, and has caused at least three deaths and thirteen injuries in Myanmar, according to data provided. by the military Junta that controls the Asian country. In a first balance, the authorities estimate that a thousand buildings have also been damaged, only in western Myanmar, the most affected area.
The Mocha passage has caused hundreds of thousands of people to seek refuge in government facilities or schools, thanks to the work of humanitarian agencies present in the coastal areas of Bangladesh and Burma, where they provide food and basic supplies to those affected.
According to the non-profit organization Radio Free Asia, the number of fatalities in Myanmar has been six people, figures that contrast with those provided by the government.
The intense cyclone crossed a large part of the coastal area of ​​Bangladesh at 6:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. in Spain) with a wind speed of 147 kilometers per hour, something extremely dangerous. One of the most affected areas is San MartÃn Island, located in the Bay of Bengal, where the storm left a trail of destruction without victims, according to Mozibur Rahman, representative of the local government.
Rahman has pointed out to the media: “we have between 1,000 and 1,200 damaged homes. Numerous eco-lodges have had their roofs blown off and most of the trees have fallen. But luckily no one was killed or seriously injured.”
Regarding Myanmar, Cyclone Mocha crossed the Rakhine State, near Sittwe, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The images taken show countless damaged homes, as well as flooded streets dragging objects and debris. Sittwe was left incommunicado until the next morning, but the damage from the cyclone, the worst in the last decade that had been forecast for the region, was minor.
In fact, the neighboring state of Bangladesh, where the authorities had evacuated 750,000 people, has reported that the cyclone has not left any fatalities.
According to the forecast of the Burmese meteorological department, this storm could continue its course towards the northeast, specifically towards the state of Chin and the Magway region where it could have severe consequences. The impact of the cyclone in Chin is unknown, since communications have not yet been reestablished with this area where there are frequent armed clashes between government troops and pro-democracy insurgents in Myanmar.
The UN Humanitarian Coordination Office in Myanmar has revealed that “gusty winds are uprooting trees and damage is already being reported in some areas. The UN and its humanitarian partners stand ready to provide assistance to those affected.”
One of the main concerns is in the Rohingya refugee camps in the Bangladeshi city of Cox’s Bazar, where almost a million people live in vulnerable conditions, for which they have been relocated to safer areas within the camp. But, according to the first assessment, the damage in the refugee camps has been minimal.
