Evacuation of residents, including IDPs, continues from various Rakhine townships

A day before the cyclone Mocha may hit Rakhine, many residents in various townships including the IDPs have been evacuated.

In Sittwe township, people from the seashore and low land areas are being evacuated to various monasteries and school buildings.

Some residents from lower Sittwe wards have left for Kyauk Taw and Mrauk U Townships by the private vehicles.

All the private schools in Sittwe have been closed and the students have been asked to go home.

"Most of the people living in low lands and seashores in Sittwe township have been shifted to monasteries and schools at highlands. Many villagers from adjacent areas of the capital city also moved to safer places,” said a local resident.

So far, over 1,500 people have taken shelter at Sittwe Adithan temple and 1,500 people arrived in Bishop U Nyanasaka monastery. The number of people coming for shelter may increase, added the resident.

Muslim villages under Sittwe township have also been relocated to cyclone storm centers and school buildings.

"After hearing news of the storm, the villagers have gathered all documents along with necessary medicines, batteries, power banks and food items in safer stores,” said U Soe Myint, a Muslim elder from Sittwe Bumay village.

“The families from Tha Chaung and Owndaw Chay camps  have also arrived in Thetkay Byint government school. Some of them are staying with their relatives. No government support has been offered till now," he claimed.

A resident said that people from two villages under Maungdaw township, which may face the storm soon, have already been evacuated.

Residents of Kyaukpandu and Hindu villages were evacuated yesterday. About 200 people from the Hindu village were shifted to the school buildings.

Some  IDP camps of Kyauk Taw  township were evacuated by the members of Arakan Army (AA).

“Over 1000 IDPs from  Taung Min Kula, Wa Taung and Kan Sout  under Kyauk Taw township were evacuated by the AA to nearby monasteries and schools,” he added.

Residents of several villages under Buthidaung township were moved by the natural disaster management team to monasteries and government schools.

According to Myanmar meteorological and hydrology department, seven Rakhine townships have been marked with the high risk because of the disaster created by cyclone Mocha. The vulnerable townships include Sittwe, Kyauk Phyu, Maungdaw, Manaung, Rathedaung, Maebon and Pauk Taw.

Developing in the Bay of Bengal the cyclone Mocha is predicted to cross and landfall between Cox's Bazar of Bangladesh and Kyaukphyu of Rakhine State 14 May during evening hours.

It is estimated that the storm will reach 90 to 100 miles per hour, and the water may rise 12 to 16 feet in various tributaries of Sittwe and Maungdaw districts, and 9 to 12 feet in tributaries of Kyaukphyu district.

The authorities in Rakhine State are on alert to prevent or minimize damages from the cyclonic storm Mocha, which is likely to make landfall on Sunday.