2 May

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has informed to public about a warning of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology from its observation on a lower pressure area over the South Andaman Sea and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal still persists at 18:30 hrs M.S.T yesterday.

The weather condition was forecast to intensify into a depression during next 96 hours and it is likely to move North- Northwest wards, with being cloudy over the Andaman Sea and South Bay and a few clouds to partly cloudy elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal.

The warning also said if the storm headed towards Myanmar, it will affect coastal regions of Rakhine, Ayayawady and Yangon, causing tidal wave, heavy rain, torrential floods, soil erosions and flash floods in mountain areas. Moreover, the inland areas will suffer other indirect impacts from the storm.

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has also advised to the local people in both coastal and inland areas to make the following preventive measures:

(1) Safe shelters are required during the storm. However, it is better to make houses and buildings resist strong wind and heavy rain as people need to stay only at home amid COVID-19 outbreak.

(2) Emergency items, foods, water and important documents should be ready for urgent evacuation. Soaps, hand sanitizers and face masks are kept ready for COVID-19 prevention during evacuation.

(3) Torch, candles and lighters must be in hand, along with fully charged mobile phones.

(4) Gathering point must be set among the family members for possible separations in the disaster. Each family member must keep the contact phone number, name, ward/village, town and contact person.

(5) Those who are living, working or doing fishing businesses near the coastal areas must be alert to the storm and tidal wave.

(6) Inland areas may suffer indirect impacts of storms, with strong winds, heavy rain and thunderbolts.

(7) People living near mountain steams need to be aware of flash floods, and move to safer place, if necessary.

(8) Temporarily move to safer place to avoid soil erosion near rivers and creeks.

(9) Follow guidelines for COVID-19 either in nearby cyclone shelters or in specific place.

People need to closely monitor the situation of possible storm and follow the disaster management of authorities in emergency period.

Information and assistance are available at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement through the hotline numbers: 067 3404666 and 067 3404777.—MNA