Cyclone Mocha hits Myanmar and Bangladesh: Our emergency response

On the morning of 14.05.2023 the tropical cyclone ‘Mocha’ hit the coastal regions of Myanmar and Bangladesh with windspeeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour – and thereby the highest category 5. According to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) around 3 million people in Myanmar and Bangladesh were affected by the strong winds. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated in advance, taking refuge in shelters and inland from the storm. The world's largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh and Rakhine State in western Myanmar were on the cyclone's route. Vulnerable and crises affected populations were hit particularly hard in both regions. Heavy rainfall and strong winds caused land slides and floodings in some areas. Tens of thousands of families are affected, houses and infrastructure destroyed. Official figures have not yet been released. The full extent of the disaster will be known in the coming days.

Together with our teams and partner organizations on the ground we are currently assessing the situation and the needs of the people to provide urgently needed assistance.

In Myanmar, our team distributed tarpaulins and water to people who had taken refuge from the storm in higher areas. Photo: Malteser International

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This is how we provide help for the people affected by the cyclone in Myanmar and Bangladesh

Since there were early warning signs a few days prior to the disaster, our teams and partner organizations were able to prepare for the storm in advance and coordinate emergency relief before the storm made landfall:

Aid before the cyclone

With support of Malteser International, our partner PHALS distributed more than 200 flashlights and 500 packets of dry food, baby food, water bottles, candles, etc. for evacuated people in emergency shelters.
Our partner organization GK secured our three health posts in the refugee camps and developed contingency plans with the teams on the ground.
GK also organized an awareness session for volunteers in the camp on cyclone preparedness and response
EMTs are on standby in camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar
On the Bangladeshi and highly disaster-prone island of Kutubdia, our partner GK set up an emergency shelter in a health facility supported by MI and provided food supplies.
Our partner CDD ensured inclusive early warning messaging for persons with disabilities and organized the readiness with the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) of Bangladesh government in all the pathway locations.

With support of MI, our partner PHALS distributed over 200 flashlights as well as 500 packages of dry food, baby formula, water, candles, etc. to vulnerable communities in Bangladesh. Photo: PHALS/Malteser International

In Myanmar, our team from Malteser International distributed tarpaulins and water to people living on higher ground.
Emergency aid kits have been prepared and are ready for distribution.

Fast aid after the storm

Together with our teams and partner organizations on the ground we are now trying to determine the full extent of the disaster and coordinate emergency relief. The three MI supported health posts that are run by our partner GK were fully operational again by the second day after the cyclone. They are now resuming their healthcare services for refugees. In the first days and weeks after a cyclone, acute emergency aid can be life-saving. For this purpose, Malteser International has pledged an initial 100,000 euro for emergency relief measures. More aid is urgently needed however.

Cyclone in Myanmar and Bangladesh - our aid in pictures

News and Reports about Cyclone Mocha

Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar/Bangladesh: Malteser International provides EUR 100,000 emergency relief and distributes relief goods

Cologne/Yangon/Cox's Bazar: On Sunday morning local time, cyclone "Mocha" hit the coastal regions of Myanmar and Bangladesh with wind speeds of up to 210 kilometers per hour. An official death toll has not yet been released. According to the international disaster warning system GDACS, around three million people in Myanmar and Bangladesh could be affected by the cyclone. MI staff and local partner organizations in Myanmar and Bangladesh have already started to distribute the first relief goods to people who have lost everything as a result of the storm. Malteser International has already pledged an initial 100,000 euro for emergency relief measures.

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