Cyclone Mocha: WFP gears up to support Myanmar and Bangladesh

The World Food Programme (WFP) is closely monitoring Cyclone Mocha, which is expected to make landfall on Sunday in Myanmar and Bangladesh, and has prepared to provide necessary assistance to the people impacted.

“Working with partners, WFP is gearing up for a large-scale emergency response, putting in place contingency plans, and prepositioning food and relief supplies, vehicles, and emergency equipment,” reads a media release issued Saturday on the WFP website.  

Heavy rainfall is forecast, with the possible risk of floods and landslides, which could impact hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in areas likely to be in the cyclone’s trajectory.

In Myanmar, WFP has pre-positioned enough food to cover the needs of more than 4,00,000 people in Rakhine State and neighbouring areas for one month.

In Bangladesh, WFP-fortified biscuits and 230 tonnes of food stock are ready to be dispatched if needed in and around the camps for the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

WFP Myanmar Deputy Country Director Sheela Matthew said, “We are preparing for the worst, while hoping for the best. Cyclone Mocha is heading to areas burdened by conflict, poverty, and weak community resilience.

“Many of the people most likely to be affected are already reliant on regular humanitarian assistance from WFP. They simply cannot afford another disaster.”

Anticipating interruptions to transport and telecommunications services, WFP teams are also putting in place systems to serve the broader humanitarian community with their preparations and potential response to the cyclone.

WFP Bangladesh Deputy Country Director Simone Parchment said, “The Rohingya refugees are extremely vulnerable to climate shocks, given how disaster-prone the area is and the poor living conditions in the camps.

“We ask the donor community to continue supporting them in getting through this cyclone and also many other challenges they face, including reduced food assistance due to shrinking donor funding.”

Unimpeded humanitarian access to support communities in need will be critical in responding to any immediate impacts of the cyclone and for the longer-term recovery process, the release added.