5 killed after cyclone Mocha hits Myanmar

Yangon, May 16

Five people have been killed after the extremely severe cyclonic storm Mocha swept into Myanmar two days ago, state media reported.

"Due to well preparations, the powerful storm was successfully overcome with least causalities," the State Administration Council (SAC) Chairman Min Aung Hlaing said on Monday.

The death toll includes two from Tachileik township in Shan State, one each from Sittwe and Taungup towns in Rakhine State and one from Yekyi town in Ayeyarwady Region, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the media report, cyclone Mocha damaged 864 houses, 11 religious buildings, 16 monasteries, 64 schools, 14 hospitals and clinics, 7 telecom towers, 71 lamp posts and 38 departmental buildings.

The regions and states battered by Mocha include Rakhine, Ayeyarwady, Bago, Yangon, Magway, Sagaing, Chin, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, the media report said.

Mocha made landfall near Sittwe in western Myanmar's Rakhine State on Sunday, with winds of up to 130 mph (about 209 kph), and caused loss of property in nearly 500 wards and villages in the country.

Further investigation to confirm more causalities and loss of property was underway in the towns in Rakhine and Chin states, it said.

Myanmar on Monday declared 17 townships in Rakhine State a natural disaster-affected area as they reported the heaviest loss of property caused by cyclone Mocha in the Southeast Asian country.

According to a report of Myanmar's weather agency on Monday afternoon, cyclone Mocha has weakened into a low-pressure depression over China.