Mizzima

The World Food Programme (WFP) plans to provide food and monetary relief to at least 800,000 people hit by Cyclone Mocha within three months, according to a 19 May statement.

It said that they would provide this emergency relief to at least 360,000 people who had to abandon their homes after the storm, and at least 440,000 people who were in low income and other vulnerable groups.

They are currently starting the distribution of relief materials of food and rations to 6,000 people staying in storm relief camps in Sittwe and 600 people staying in Pakokku storm relief camps.

WFP is currently trying to get more warehouses in Yangon for storage of food and other relief materials for these people and they are reportedly trying to increase their storage capacity from current 20,000 metric tons to 45,000 metric tons.

The local organizations and human rights organizations said that they were facing difficulties in carrying out damage and need assessments for these people as the internet connection was down in Rakhine State as a result of the storm.

WFP said that the number of storm victims would be likely to be higher than current assessments as they were doing field surveys and damage assessments.