Cyclone Mocha

Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha
Mocha at peak intensity approaching Myanmar on 14 May
Meteorological history
Formed9 May 2023
Dissipated15 May 2023
Extremely severe cyclonic storm
3-minute sustained (IMD)
Highest winds215 km/h (130 mph)
Lowest pressure938 hPa (mbar); 27.70 inHg
Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds270 km/h (165 mph)
Lowest pressure908 hPa (mbar); 26.81 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities463
Injuries719
Missing≥101
Damage$2.24 billion (2023 USD)
Areas affectedAndaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Yunnan
IBTrACS / [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Part of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha[a] (/ˈmoʊkə/) was a powerful and deadly tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean which affected Myanmar and parts of Bangladesh in May 2023. The second depression and the first cyclonic storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Mocha originated from a low-pressure area that was first noted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 8 May. After consolidating into a depression, the storm tracked slowly north-northwestward over the Bay of Bengal, and reached extremely severe cyclonic storm intensity. After undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, Mocha rapidly strengthened, peaking at Category 5-equivalent intensity on 14 May with winds of 270 km/h (165 mph). Mocha slightly weakened before making landfall, and its conditions quickly became unfavorable. Mocha rapidly weakened once inland and dissipated shortly thereafter.

Thousands of volunteers assisted citizens of Myanmar and Bangladesh in evacuating as the cyclone approached the international border.[8] Evacuations were also ordered for low-lying areas in Sittwe, Pauktaw, Myebon, Maungdaw, and Buthidaung. In Bangladesh, over 500,000 individuals were ordered to be relocated from coastal areas of the country due to the storm's approach. Officials from the military declared the state of Rakhine a natural disaster area. Several villages in Rakhine State were also damaged by the cyclone. The death toll for Cyclone Mocha varies significantly. ASEAN reported a total of 145 deaths,[9] whereas the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) stated that Cyclone Mocha killed at least 463 people, including three indirect deaths in Bangladesh. The storm also injured 719 people and left 101 others missing.[10][6] It caused about US$2.24 billion of damage in Myanmar.

Elsewhere, thousands of homes were destroyed in Bangladesh. Twelve people were injured, and the agricultural damage there reached ৳115 million (US$1.07 million), though impact was less severe than initially feared. Seven people in Sri Lanka were indirectly injured and another seven were reported missing due to the cyclone. In India, 5,749 people across over 50 villages were affected, and at least 236 houses were damaged. The remnants of Mocha then contributed to blizzards in China.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference IMD prelim report was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference VOA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference MINT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "At least 29 reported dead after Cyclone Mocha tears through Bangladesh and Myanmar". The Journal. 15 May 2023. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Cyclone Mocha death toll rises to 81 in Myanmar". Channel NewsAsia. 17 May 2023. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Death toll seen rising in Myanmar's Rakhine state in aftermath of Cyclone Mocha". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  7. ^ "The brewing of Mocha: How Cyclone Mocha got its name". The Week. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Cyclone Mocha heads for Myanmar, Bangladesh". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  9. ^ Situation Update No. 5 - Tropical Cyclone Mocha, Myanmar - 20 May 2023 (Report). ASEAN. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  10. ^ Agarwal, Agushi (17 May 2023). "Cyclone Mocha: Myanmar government claims 435 people dead, seeks international aid". CNBC. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.


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