Myanmar and Bangladesh Cyclone
Cyclone Mocha had a devastating impact on the lives of millions of vulnerable refugees in Bangladesh and Myanmar.Â
Your support helped provide urgent support to communities affected by the cyclone.
Shelters in Thae Chaung IDP camp that were damaged by Cyclone Mocha. Sittwe, Rakhine. Photo: Pierre Lorioux/OCHA.
This appeal has now closed. Donations made to this appeal helped support immediate relief to vulnerable communities in the form of food, emergency shelter, access to safe water, hygiene support, essential items, and nutrition support.
You can still make a donation to our Emergency Response Appeal below to help communities that have been affected by disaster and conflict around the world.
What was the impact of Cyclone Mocha?
- More than 1,300 bamboo shelters in Cox's Bazar, the world's largest refugee camp, were destroyed.
- 463 people were killed.
- 400,000 people were evacuated from the cyclone's path.
Thanks to your donations, Caritas Australia's partners were able to support cyclone-affected communities who needed immediate assistance.
What was the impact for refugees in Bangladesh?
Approximately one million Rohingya live in Cox's Bazar, the largest refugee camp in the world.
Bangladesh’s government evacuated people ahead of the storm, but Rohingya refugees were not allowed to leave the camps or build permanent structures. This means that refugees had few places to take shelter from the storm.
More than 1,300 shelters in Cox’s Bazar were reported as destroyed or damaged, as well as 16 mosques and learning centres.
Before the cyclone, food rations for Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar were reduced due to funding cuts, and 16,000 refugees lost their homes in a devastating fire in March 2023.
What was the impact for displaced communities in Myanmar?
Before the cyclone, at least 6 million people were in need of humanitarian support in Myanmar. Around 1.2 million were displaced across Rakhine state and the northwest of Myanmar (OCHA).
People in Rakhine have suffered years of conflict and displacement, with hundreds of thousands of people confined to temporary camps where their movements are restricted.
Your donations helped communities with:
Access to Clean Water
Emergency Shelter for Displaced Families
Cash Assistance to Vulnerable Families
Food Rations for Flood-affected Families
When was the worst cyclone in Myanmar?
In 2008, Cyclone Nargis made landfall in Myanmar, killing a devastating 84,500 people. Another 53,800 people went missing.
The UN estimates that as many as 2.4 million people were affected by Cyclone Nargis, and caused around $12 billion in damage, making t one of the costliest and deadliest cyclones in the region.
Destruction in Sittwe Town after Cyclone Mocha. Sittwe, Rakhine. Credit: Suhad Sakalla/OCHA.
Where does my donation go?
The funds raised through our Emergency Response Appeal will be used to provide immediate and longer-term humanitarian assistance to communities affected disasters and emergencies around the world.Â
