Rohing Refugees In Bangladesh Need Help Due To Topan Mocha

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JENEWA - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says about one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh need international assistance as they are affected by Typhoon Mocha and may be exacerbated by the approaching rainy season.

"So on the one hand, I want to say that the danger of this typhoon has passed, but the hurricane season continues and the rainy season will soon arrive," said Deputy Mission Chief IOM Nihan Erdogan as quoted by Antara, Thursday, May 18.

"So, the danger of nature has not passed yet," he continued.

Erdogan said the rainy season would have a bad impact on the land in the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, because it could trigger landslides and floods.

Rohingya residents have been displaced in Bangladesh for years and live in vulnerable buildings made of bamboo and tarpaulin.

"I was in the camp yesterday. I was checking several damaged shelters. And right when I was there, we had a landslide," Erdogan said.

Erdogan said humanitarian agencies in the country were working closely with the Bangladeshi Government.

"We need the support of the international community to provide much-needed funds due to the 2023 joint response plan, which is the main plan we are all working on, currently short of funds." he said.

He revealed that the collected aid funds so far are only about 16-17 percent of the total needs.

"That's a very low number considering 1 million people (in the camp) are all dependent on humanitarian assistance. So, that number needs to be increased significantly," Erdogan said.

On Sunday, May 14, Topan Mocha, which hit the coast between Cox's Bazar and the Kyaukpyu region in Myanmar, reportedly killed at least nine people in both countries.

Erdogan noted, according to information they received from various health facilities, several people were injured but no deaths were reported inside the refugee camps.