Rescuers have evacuated about 1000 people trapped by seawater after Cyclone Mocha hit western Myanmar, killing six people and injured hundreds.
Strong winds injured more than 700 of about 20,000 people who were sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township, such as monasteries, pagodas and schools, according to a leader of the Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association in Sittwe.
Seawater raced into more than 10 low-lying wards near the shore as Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Rakhine state on Sunday afternoon. Residents moved to roofs and higher floors, while the wind and storm surge prevented immediate rescue.
Water was still about 1.5 metres high in flooded areas late on Monday, but rescues were being made as the wind calmed and the sun rose in the sky.
Six deaths were reported by Myanmar media and rescue groups. Several injuries were reported in neighbouring Bangladesh, which was spared the predicted direct hit.
Mocha made landfall near Sittwe township with winds blowing up to 209km/h, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said. By Monday, it had weakened to a tropical depression, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The State Administration Council issued disaster declarations for 17 townships in Rakhine state.
High winds crumpled cell phone towers, but in videos collected by local media before communications were lost, deep water raced through streets and wind blew off roofs.
Myanmar’s military information office said the storm had damaged houses and electrical transformers in Sittwe, Kyaukpyu, and Gwa townships. It said roofs were torn off buildings on the Coco Islands, about 425 kilometres south-west of the country’s largest city, Yangon.
Volunteers previously said shelters in Sittwe did not have enough food after more people arrived there seeking help.
A Bangladesh government official, Enamur Rahman, said the damage was still being assessed, but that about 2000 homes had been destroyed and 10,000 others were damaged on Saint Martin’s Island and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar district.
– AAP
