At least 50,000 people from Sittwe, Rakhine State, have been relocated to safer areas in anticipation of the severe cyclone called Cyclone Mocha that is expected to hit the Rakhine coast, according to residents in Sittwe.
A powerful storm with winds of up to 175 km (108.7 miles) per hour approached the coasts of eastern Bangladesh and Myanmar’s Rakhine coast, according to weather departments in Myanmar, India and Bangladesh.
In Sittwe, some residents have moved to other towns, while others are taking shelter at schools and monasteries in highland areas.
"Currently, I think that two-thirds of the city's population have sought shelter outside the city [Sittwe]. Some of the people in the city have moved according to their own plans. Some have sought shelter in highland areas of Sittwe. The highland is called Arkyakkone and there are strong monastery buildings in the area. Those monasteries have hosted some people from the city. Currently, around 15,000 people have come and taken refuge in those monasteries," said Ko Wai Hin Aung, who is helping those fleeing the cyclone in Sittwe.
“Hundreds of cars were seen leaving [the city]. Currently, about 50,000 people have sought shelter in safer places in Sittwe. I don't know how the Muslim community is dealing with the issue. There are cyclone centres [in the Muslim community]. Some are taking refuge at schools,” a resident of Sittwe told Mizzima.
According to the residents, Sittwe experienced heavy rain and strong winds for 15 minutes around midnight yesterday [May 12]. As a result, there is currently less traffic in the city and most grocery stores are closed.
International aid organizations including the World Food Programme and the United Nations OCHA are preparing humanitarian aid in advance of the cyclone hitting land and potentially causing damage.
Myanmar and Bangladesh coastal areas are prone to storms and cyclones in the hot season that typically build up in the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar experienced the deadly Cyclone Nargis in 2008 that killed over 130,000 people.
