Press Release
May 16, 2023
Cyclone Mocha – one of the most powerful to ever hit the region – made landfall on Sunday (14 May) between Akyab in Myanmar’s Arakan State and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh leaving a trail of devastation, death and destruction. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center stated that it entered the Arakan/Rakhine coast with windspeed of more than 135 miles per hour.
According to the latest statement by the United Nations, the storm surge has risen to 9 to 9.5 feet in the low-lying areas of Arakan and the Bangladesh coasts. There had been widespread destructions in Akyab city’s Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps as well as nearby rural coastal areas causing widespread flooding in the low-lying areas affecting mainly the Rohingya Muslim community.
Mocha destroyed almost all houses, long shelters, schools, mosques, monasteries, clinics and all infrastructures in Sittwe Township. The initial reports said more than 10,000 houses were destroyed in Akyab/Sittwe City, apart from the damage from the IDP camps. Akyab’s coastal villages of Debaing, Bagadia, Barsara, Naggyalbagan were crashed where hundreds of people died and many more missing. Some 400 people, mostly vulnerable Muslims, lost their lives and death tolls are increasing.
The cyclone also struck the towns of Ponnagyan, Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, Myebon, Pauktaw, and Rathedaung with loss of lives and huge destruction of houses, hospitals, religious buildings and government offices. Some houses were also destroyed in the Townships of Buthidaung and Maungdaw.
We strongly condemn the military regime for its lack of adequate efforts and proper cyclone disaster management to save the lives of the people.
Now people are in dire need of drinking water, medicines, shelters, food and essentials, and we urge the international community and NGOs to come to their aid. The military regime should allow all aid agencies and individual helpers unhindered access to every needy without discrimination of any kind.
Meanwhile, the ARNA would like to extend our profound grief and heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of cyclone — Rohingya, Rakhine and all people. At this sad moment our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their near and dear ones. We also pray for the speedy recovery of those who are injured.
For more information, please contact:
Nay San Lwin, +4917662139138, secretariat@thearna.org