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Tropical cyclone Mocha leaves at least 41 dead in Myanmar's Rakhine state
Updated 16:53, 16-May-2023
CGTN
01:14

The death toll in cyclone-hit villages of Myanmar's Rakhine state rose to at least 41 on Tuesday, local leaders told AFP.

Packing winds of up to 195 kilometers (120 miles) per hour, Mocha made landfall on Sunday, downing power pylons and smashing wooden fishing boats to splinters.

"There will be more deaths, as more than a hundred people are missing," said Karlo, the administrator of Bu Ma village near the state capital Sittwe.

In Bu Ma on Tuesday morning, residents walked the seashore searching for family members swept away by a storm surge that accompanied the cyclone.

The United Nations refugee office said it was investigating reports that Rohingya living in displacement camps had been killed in the storm.

"UNHCR is saddened at hearing reports of deaths at displacement camps in Rakhine State in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha," it said in a statement.

It added that it was "attempting to conduct detailed assessments at displacement camps and sites to get a clearer picture of the situation".

On Tuesday, contact was slowly being restored with Sittwe, which is home to around 150,000 people with roads being cleared and internet connections re-established.

On Monday, state media footage showed troops unloading aid from planes at Sittwe airport.

(With input from AFP)

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