Rescue and Resettlement Measures: PM inspects disaster-affected area Sittway, Rakhine State

The Severe Cyclonic Storm passed through Rakhine coasts near Sittway on 14th May and the incident causes losses and damages and 17 townships in Rakhine State have been declared as the disaster affected areas.

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing together with officials visited disaster affected areas Sittway and gave instructions on assigning duties to emergency managements, response and rescue measures, resettlement and rehabilitation tasks.

On arrival at Sittway, the Prime Minister and party viewed around losses and damages by the cyclone in Sittway.

At the State Government Office, Rakhine State Chief Minister U Htein Lin reported on formation of the State natural disaster management committee and holding pre-meetings before the natural disaster occurs, opening the Command Posts in Rakhine State on May 7, in 7 districts and 17 townships, arrangements for shelters, evacuation to the people, providing relief items to affected people, buying reserved rice, edible oil, salt, fish paste and diesel with the State Government Emergency Fund, stockpiling of relief items, arrangements for no lack of drinking water and communication, the needs for reconstruction of houses, provisions and current damages and losses.

After that, the Union Minister, Tatmadaw senior officers from the office of the Commander-in-Chief and the Commander of the Western Command reported on losses and damages by the natural disaster, recuse measures in the  respective sectors and arrangements for resettlements.

They also discussed measures for telephone lines, renovation of Sittwe Airport, installation of aviation communication systems, setting up of power posts, electricity supply to sittway hospital by power generator, arrangement for rice, edible oil, bean, salt and medicines for monks and nuns, health care services and medical supplies, water purification tablets, health educative programs, arrangements for sending rice bags, iron sheets, food and construction materials to Rakhine State by Tatmadaw aircrafts, delivery of food and relief items to cyclone hit areas in Rakhine State by vehicles, military vessels and aircrafts, keeping the harvested summer paddy in Rakhine State and getting timbers for reconstruction tasks.

In response to the reports, the Prime Minister said that in carrying out the rehabilitation of Rakhine state, it must be better than the normal situation.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will have to mainly carry out the rescue works and the staffs from other ministries need to cooperate.

He also stressed the needs on cleaning hospitals, homes for the aged in districts and townships, cash assistance for rescue and rehabilitation tasks in Rakhine State and to carry out rescue and resettlement measures by the region and local strength, measures for chlorinating wells and lakes, cleaning environments, hygiene food, agriculture and livestock breeding measures.

Later, the Prime Minister presented 7 billion kyats for rescue and resettlement measures in Rakhine State and provisions to the State Chief Minister.

The Prime Minister and party then inspected losses and damages in Sittway by the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” and instructed the needs.

The State natural disaster management committees are being formed to carry out rehabilitation activities in Rakhine State which was affected by the cyclone. 23,700 local people have been moved in advance to the cyclone shelters in Sittway, Mrauk U, Maungdaw, Kyauk Phyu, Thandwe, Taunggup and Ann townships before hitting the cyclone. 626,849 people have been evacuated to other safer places.

Similarly, out of people in IDP camps, 62,319 people were evacuated to safer places. Due to the cyclone, houses, office buildings, religious buildings, TV retransmission and communication towers were destroyed and damaged in Rakhine State and the incident caused 2 dead and 28 injured until 14th May.