Myanmar's victims of sectarian strife were spared the full force of Cyclone Mahasen, but many are now returning to flimsy tents in flood-prone camps with the rainy season just weeks away.

TULÉAR, 19 mai 2013 (IRIN) - Justine Sija, 60 ans, commence sa journée à 4 heures du matin ; elle achète des prises aux pêchers locaux avant d’aller les vendre dans les rues du village de St Augustin, dans la région Atsimo-Andrefana au sud de Madagascar. Le travail est dur, mais l’année dernière, l’accès au microcrédit lui a permis de développer son commerce et de croire en l’avenir.

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) has just landed in Uganda as continuous heavy rains in the western Kasese region have caused the ‘worst flooding since 1976’, according to the country’s authorities and media reports.

Uganda National Rotary alerted ShelterBox Operations department describing the disaster:

‘… Rains have wreaked havoc in Kasese District… at least six people have been killed… thousands of homes washed away, a hospital inundated, and roads made impassable… the immediate needs are shelter, blankets, water filtration…’

Summary

By Maurice Geary, Logistics Advisor, Concern Worldwide

When the rains came in Zambezia Province in central Mozambique, people collected their belongings and left their traditionally built homes behind to head for higher ground. They resettled in scattered pockets, often under very basic shelters constructed from palm leaves held up by stick frames.

By Sara A. Fajardo

After making landfall in Bangladesh and moving forward to the northeast away from Myanmar, Tropical Cyclone Mahasen weakened and dissipated on 17 May. Relevant storm tracking sites stopped tracking the weather system once it moved over northern Bangladesh early on 17 May.

As of midday today, the Government of Bangladesh had reported six deaths, and a limited number of people in flood affected districts were injured. While assessments are ongoing, in light of the potential damage anticipated over the last five days, reported damage to houses has been limited.

The situation

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the depression formed in the Bay of Bengal has turned into cyclonic storm Mahasen on 12 May 2013.

As cyclone Mahasen headed towards Burma, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India, local authorities and aid agencies such as World Vision helped to minimise the dangers for people in vulnerable, low-lying areas. The Rohinga Muslim community, many living in camps in Burma's Rakhine state, were particularly at risk. Aid workers helped to evacuate 1 million people to shelters during the storm, which weakened without causing major devastation