Cyclone Mocha affects 8 lakh in Myanmar, 145 dead

Cyclone Mocha has affected at least eight lakh people in Myanmar, the United Nations (UN) said on Friday, adding that the country needs emergency food aid and other assistance. The country's ruling military junta said that at least 145 people have died due to the powerful cyclone that made landfall in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Sunday. Most victims were reportedly from the Rohingya community.

The cyclone destroyed numerous houses, hospitals, and schools while disrupting telecommunications and power supply in Rakhine State in central Myanmar, along with the Sagaing and Magway regions. Among the 145 dead, 117 were Rohingyas, 24 were local residents, and four were soldiers. Many people have been reported missing. The camps where the internally displaced Rohingyas lived have also been ravaged, reports said.

After the storm, there were reports of military attacks on local residents. A BBC report said thousands of people in northwest Saigang fled their homes after the army entered their villages under the pretext of the calamity. Amid the country's military conflict, the Sagaing region has held the fort for the longest time against the military junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup.

The Sagaing region is home to anti-government militias called the People's Defense Forces (PDF). Last month, the junta confirmed carrying out an airstrike on a rebel village that killed at least 100 people, including leaders of local anti-government groups, reporters, women, and around 20-30 children.

No casualties were reported from adjoining Bangladesh. However, thousands of shelters were destroyed in the world's largest refugee camp at Cox's Bazar. The camp reportedly houses around 1 million Rohingya refugees. In 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta, claiming around 1.4 lakh lives.