Cyclone Mocha damaged nearly 2,000 homes in Chin State, which was already devastated by the regime’s offensives against resistance forces.
Many civilians who lost their homes in the storm are in urgent need of materials to rebuild their roofs and houses, as well as food and medicine.
Travelling at speeds of 50 to 70 mph per hour, 1,774 houses in 8 of the state’s 9 townships were damaged with the worst destruction occurring in Matupi, Paletwa and Mindat, all in the south.
“All the buildings in our headquarters were destroyed by Cyclone Mocha. There is nothing left,” said an officer of the Matupi Chinland Defence Force, which is fighting with the military regime. He said they will need two weeks to rebuild the bamboo huts in their headquarters after the cyclone caused more destruction than expected.
In southern Chin State, the storm damaged 220 houses in Paletwa; 887 houses, 7 religious buildings, 4 health buildings in Matupi; 112 houses, 3 religious buildings, 5 schools, 2 rice stores in Kanpetlet; 364 houses, 7 religious buildings and 18 buildings in schools and 17 rice stores in Mindat.
In the north, 85 houses and a religious building in Hakha; 74 houses, 9 religious buildings and 5 schools in Falam; 5 houses in Tedim; 27 houses in Thangtlang were damaged, while Tungzan Township was not affected at all.
As telephone and internet connections are down in most of the state, the ICNCC said this data could change once more information on the destruction caused by Mocha is collected.
The cyclone reached the country on 14 May via the coastal region of Sittwe town in Rakhine State.