Note to Correspondents: WFP gears up ahead of the arrival of Cyclone Mocha

Sittwe – The World Food Programme (WFP) is closely monitoring Cyclone Mocha, which is expected to make landfall this Sunday in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Emergency preparedness is underway in areas likely to be in the cyclone’s trajectory.  

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.

In Myanmar, WFP has pre-positioned enough food to cover the needs of more than 400,000 people in Rakhine State and neighboring areas for one month. 

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. 

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

Quote by WFP Myanmar Deputy Country Director Ms. Sheela Matthew

“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.”

•      See here WFP’s live analysis on potential impact of Cyclone Mocha 

•      Photos available at link

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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For more information please contact:

Elise Gibergues-Newton: Communications Officer, WFP Asia and the Pacific, elise.giberguesnewton@wfp.org, +08 1130 1966

Htet Oo Linn: Communications Officer, WFP Myanmar, htetoo.linn@wfp.org, +95 9 97060 8171