Strong wind in Rakhine State destroyed at least 240 shelters in two Internally displaced people (IDP) camps on 20 April.

According to villagers, the heavy wind started at around 2:00 pm at noon in northern Rakhine State’s Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Pauktaw, Myebon, and Ponnagyun. A later report said that the shelters
were destroyed in IDP camps located in Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw.

“160 shelters were destroyed in Myo-U-Gaung IDP camp, in Mrauk-U where 1,077 people were sheltering in 259 shelters. The IDPs there need immediate assistance and new shelters”, said the
head of the refugee camp, monk Sayadaw Myo-U-Gaung.

He added: “The roofs were ripped off [the 160 shelters], another five were completely destroyed. The buildings with open roofs are currently being repaired, and we requested shelters from the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).”

In Wadaung IDP camp in Kyauktaw, where there were previously 159 shelters, over half the shelters were carried away by strong winds.

At first, at around 2 p.m. it was sunny and then suddenly rain clouds formed in the north. At first, we thought it was going to rain, but the wind only got stronger and stronger. Everything went dark. I was worried about the safety of the children and the elderly in the camp. Branches fell from a tree near to my house, so we had to flee elsewhere”, said U Naing Tun Win, the head of the IDP camp.

“The strong wind destroyed 80 sheds and we are now in the process of repairing them. We need bamboo and wood to get the job done”, he continued.

Refugee U Hla Shwe said: “Rain clouds were forming north of the camp. I thought it was just going to rain. But soon, everything went dark and the wind got stronger. The wind was so strong that it blew
the roofs off houses and branches from trees inside the camp were also blown off. I thought the whole camp was going to be carried away by the wind.”