A flooded area after Cyclone Mocha near Mann Shwe Sat Taw pagoda in Magwe Division, central Myanmar, May 15, 2023. /CFP
A flooded area after Cyclone Mocha near Mann Shwe Sat Taw pagoda in Magwe Division, central Myanmar, May 15, 2023. /CFP
Rescuers on Monday evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 3.6 meters deep along western Myanmar's coast after a powerful cyclone injured hundreds and cut off communications. Six deaths were reported, but the true impact on the country was not yet clear.
Strong winds injured over 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 Sunday afternoon, he said. Residents moved to roofs and higher floors, while the wind and storm surge prevented immediate rescue.
Mocha made landfall near Sittwe township with winds blowing up to 209 kilometers per hour, Myanmar's Meteorological Department said. By midday 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.
(With input from AP)