Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
Myanmar
In Myanmar, almost 5.4 million people are estimated to have been in the path of the cyclone across Rakhine and the northwest (UN OCHA
Early estimates indicate 3.2 million are considered to be the most vulnerable and are likely to have humanitarian and protection needs (UN OCHA)
Rakhine state and the northwest (Chin, Magway, Sagaing) are the most heavily affected states/ regions, with impacts felt as far north as Kachin
BANGLADESH
In Bangladesh, Cyclone Mocha mostly affected Cox’s Bazar area where 930,000 Rohingya refugee live across 33 camps
16,587 affected Rohingya refugees living in IOM’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
3,546 affected Rohingya refugee households living in IOM’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) in the camps in Cox’s Bazar
334 displaced individuals in IOM’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
80 displaced households in IOM’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
SITUATION OVERVIEW (15-18 MAY)
Extremely severe Cyclone Mocha made landfall on 14 May 2023, around 13:00 local time (UCT +6.5) with windspeeds of up to 250 kmph, landing north of Sittwe in Rakhine State and moving across the northwest (Chin, Magway, Sagaing) of Myanmar.
The heavy rains have caused damage in both Myanmar and Bangladesh. In Myanmar, an estimated 5.4 million people were in the path of the cyclone, with 3.2 million expected to have humanitarian needs. The impact has been felt as far north as Kachin where strong winds and rains caused damage to villages and IDP camps. Infrastructure has been significantly damaged throughout the affected areas, including internet and phone masts, hospitals, banks, religious buildings, roads and bridges. Thousands of houses are reported to have been damaged. IDP camps in the coastal areas of Sittwe are expected to have been severely affected and communities are cleaning up and assessing the impact. The full extent of the damage is still to be confirmed as communication channels are still down in many areas.
In Bangladesh, initial assessments conducted by IOM and humanitarian partners have indicated significant damage to the camps hosting approximately 930,000 Rohingya refugees. The storm impacted thousands of shelters and many service facilities, putting already vulnerable families at greater risk for the upcoming monsoon season.
Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) assessment data suggests that three camps (9, 11, and 18) currently under IOM’s area of responsibility were severely impacted, with one of the camps already having been impacted by the massive fire that broke out in March 2023, leaving almost 16,000 people without shelters.