Cyclone mocha update

UNDP_Myanmar Speaking from hard-hit Rakhine State capital Sittwe, UN Development Programme ( food reserves were being “completely wiped out”, water sources needed to be urgently decontaminated and the monsoon was just “a matter of weeks away”. Dire need for access “The international community has to be given widespread access to the affected communities. And that's a very urgent requirement,” he said. Last month, the UN “not anywhere near sufficient” for the time being due to a lack of access and support in rural areas remained “far from adequate”. 'Depoliticization, demilitarization’ of aid The UN official highlighted that a distribution plan has been submitted to the military authorities, stressing that “it needs to be cleared very soon, so international organizations with their CSO partners can move freely”. More than two years since Myanmar’s generals staged a military coup, sparking widespread ongoing civil unrest and violence, Mr. Mitra insisted that “this really is a time for the depoliticization and the demilitarization of aid, because the needs are absolutely immense”. Rural livelihoods in jeopardy The recovery may take years, he added, pointing out that the majority of those affected were already “the poorest of the poor”. Concerns are also mounting fast about the future of rural livelihoods, as some 1,200 square kilometres of land flooded due to Mocha, while rains combined with storm surges devastated agriculture and fisheries. A local resident cleans up the ext...