Rakhine State Chief Minister U Htein Lin has announced thatthe initial phase of recovery in Rakhine State following Cyclone Mocha hasconcluded. However, there are still numerous needs that must be addressed forthe individuals affected by the storm.

Chief Minister U Htein Lin made this statement during aplanning meeting for cyclone Mocha damage recovery, held at the State MilitaryCouncil office and attended by state-level government officials on September20.

"Recovery efforts should be divided into distinctphases, including the immediate, short-term, and long-term. The immediate phasehas already concluded, and now we need to focus on short-term and long-termplans, taking into consideration seasonal crops. In the short term, we shouldprioritize activities such as agriculture, livestock, and the production ofpoultry, pork, and goat meat, which yield immediate benefits. Additionally, wemust include the cultivation of vegetables with a growth cycle of two to threemonths," he emphasized.

It has now been over 5 months since Cyclone Mocha struck,and residents have expressed that due to the lack of effective assistance fromthe Military Council and international organizations, many of the Rakhinepeople affected by the storm continue to live without adequate shelter.

"Some of them have managed to build houses. If theydon't build, they have no place to live. They had to sell whatever they couldto construct shelters. However, some are still unable to build houses. Incertain villages, even monasteries haven't been rebuilt," shared aresident from Mrauk-U.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister also stressed theimportance of ensuring that the recovery efforts following Cyclone Mocha resultin an improved condition compared to the original state of the affected areas.

A social activist from Sittwe Township noted that theMilitary Council is primarily concentrating its recovery efforts in majortownships, with little action being taken in rural areas.

"We've noticed that the Military Council is givingconsiderable attention to Sittwe Township. They are concentrating their effortson the rebuilding of hospitals and schools. However, in the rural areas of thestate, there has been a lack of progress in the reconstruction of hospitals andschools. Consequently, many people in rural areas are still without propershelter," the activist remarked.

The Cyclone Mocha Emergency Rescue and RehabilitationCommittee for Arakan (Cyclone Mocha ERRCA), established by the United League ofArakan (ULA), issued a statement on July 14.

According to the statement, only 75 percent of theindividuals affected by Cyclone Mocha have been able to secure shelter. Thecommittee is making ongoing efforts to expedite shelter arrangements for thosewho are still in need.

On May 19, State Military Council spokesman U Hla Theinshared on his social media page that Cyclone Mocha had caused significantdamage in Rakhine State, resulting in 136 fatalities, 62 injuries, damage to716 vehicles, destruction of 241,071 buildings, and the loss of 27,616 animals.

On September 8, the United Nations Office for theCoordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) also confirmed that the CycloneMocha response transportation and distribution plans in Rakhine State hadreceived approval, and some relief materials had been distributed. However, itwas emphasized that the humanitarian needs of the residents affected by thestorm remained substantial, and additional aid was required.

Cyclone Mocha, which struck on May 14, inflicted severedamage on Sittwe, Rathedaung, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, and Kyauktaw townships,resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of homes, governmentbuildings, and religious structures.