Myanmar, Bangladesh - Tropical cyclone MOCHA, update (GDACS, MOEZALA, BMD, UN OCHA, media, Copernicus EMSR) (ECHO Daily Flash of 16 May 2023)

After the landfall of cyclone Mocha close to Sittwe City (Rakhine State, western Myanmar, bordering Bangladesh) on 14 May with maximum sustained winds of up to 250 km/h, on 14-15 May the cyclone passed over Chin, Magway, Sagaing and Kachin states (northern Myanmar), where it is now weakening and dissipating.

Very heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surges (for coastal areas) affected these states, the Cox's Bazar area (Bangladesh) and Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur States (India).

In Myanmar, media report 41 fatalities, over 700 injured and approximately 100,000 evacuated. A total of 2.2 million people are estimated to be affected by the cyclone. The worst affected area is Sittwe and western Rakhine, including several Rohingya Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. There are unconfirmed reports of missing and injured people across a number of IDPs camps in the area. In Sittwe, most houses have been damaged.

In Bangladesh, UN OCHA reports that as of 15 May, there are around 750,000 evacuated people and 2.3 million affected people.

The Copernicus EMS was activated in rapid mapping mode (EMSR661) on 12 May for Myanmar. So far, four satellite maps were produced.

Over the next 24 hours, more heavy rainfall is forecast over south and eastern Bangladesh and over western and northern Myanmar, posing the threat of floods and landslides.