A day before the cyclone Mocha may hit Rakhine,many residents in various townshipsincluding the IDPs havebeen evacuated.

In Sittwe township, people from the seashore and low land areas are being evacuated to various monasteriesand school buildings.

Some residents from lower Sittwe wards have left for Kyauk Taw and Mrauk U Townships by the private vehicles.

All the private schoolsin Sittwe have been closed and the students have been asked to go home.

"Most of the people living in low lands and seashores in Sittwe township havebeen shifted to monasteries and schools at highlands. Many villagers from adjacent areas of the capital city alsomoved to safer places,” said alocal resident.

So far, over 1,500 people have taken shelter at Sittwe Adithan temple and 1,500 people arrived in Bishop UNyanasaka monastery. The number ofpeople coming for shelter may increase, added the resident.

Muslim villages under Sittwe township have also been relocated to cyclone storm centersand school buildings.

"After hearing news of the storm, the villagers have gathered all documents along with necessarymedicines, batteries, power banks andfood items in safer stores,” said U Soe Myint, a Muslim elder from Sittwe Bumay village.

“The families from Tha Chaung and Owndaw Chay camps  have alsoarrived in Thetkay Byintgovernment school. Some of them are staying with their relatives. No government support has been offered tillnow," he claimed.

A resident said that people from two villages under Maungdaw township, which may face the storm soon, havealready been evacuated.

Residents of Kyaukpandu and Hindu villages were evacuated yesterday. About 200 people from the Hindu villagewere shifted to the school buildings.

Some  IDP camps of Kyauk Taw  township were evacuated bythe members of Arakan Army (AA).

“Over 1000 IDPs from  Taung Min Kula, Wa Taung and Kan Sout under Kyauk Taw township wereevacuated by the AA to nearby monasteries and schools,” he added.

Residents of several villages under Buthidaung township were moved by the natural disaster management team tomonasteries and government schools.

According to Myanmar meteorological and hydrology department, seven Rakhinetownships have been marked with thehigh risk because of the disaster created by cyclone Mocha. The vulnerable townships includeSittwe, Kyauk Phyu, Maungdaw, Manaung,Rathedaung, Maebon and Pauk Taw.

Developing in the Bay of Bengal the cyclone Mocha is predicted to cross and landfall between Cox's Bazarof Bangladesh and Kyaukphyu of RakhineState 14 May during evening hours.

It is estimated that the storm will reach 90 to 100 miles perhour, and the water mayrise 12 to 16 feet in various tributaries of Sittwe and Maungdaw districts, and 9 to 12 feet in tributaries ofKyaukphyu district.

The authorities in Rakhine State are on alert to prevent or minimize damages from the cyclonic storm Mocha,which is likely to make landfallon Sunday.