Bangladesh
Cyclone Mocha Bangladesh, Myanmar need $375 million to overcome Mocha wounds: UN
Dhaka, May 24: The United Nations said Tuesday that aid is urgently needed for people affected by cyclone Mocha. USD375 million in funding is needed to provide food, medicine and other relief supplies to millions of people affected by Cyclone Mocha in parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The refugee camps in Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh are home to a large number of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar's Rakhine. Millions of Rohingya also live in Rakhine, western part of Myanmar. On May 14, Cyclone Mocha caused extensive damage in Cox's Bazar and Rakhine. Hundreds of people were killed and many houses destroyed in Rakhine due to this cyclone.
The United Nations says Myanmar alone needs additional funding of $122 million. In addition, another $211 million is required to be released from the agency's existing funds to assist those affected by the cyclone. And a separate fund of 42 million dollars is needed for the victims of Cyclone Mocha in Bangladesh.
Ramanathan Balakrishnan, UN Resident Coordinator in Myanmar, said we are now racing against time to provide safe shelter to all affected communities and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. Donors need 'deep focus' to help relief efforts.
The United Nations has made this appeal for funds as international charities await the junta government's permission to enter the areas most affected by Cyclone Mocha.
A senior aid worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the British news agency Reuters that relief supplies were lying in warehouses in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial capital. Even after more than a week of the disaster, they are still waiting for clearance.
The country's military government said 145 people had lost their lives as a result of Cyclone Mocha. Relief is being provided to areas affected by the storm.
Gwynne Lewis, the United Nations resident coordinator in Dhaka, said that many lives have been saved thanks to the advanced disaster management system in Bangladesh. However, infrastructure and houses were heavily damaged.
