The Arakan Army (AA) has evacuated more than 10,000 Arakanese people from 21 villages under its control in Rakhine State because of the cyclone Mocha, said AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha.

These villages are located near to the sea and some are on islands where tidal waves are apprehended to enter.

“Specially 13 villages in Nga Man Ye Kyunt island under  Myebon township and 8 villages in the south of Minbya township are assumed to face the storm. Some 11867 people have already been evacuated by AAmembers,” he added.

AA spokesman Thukha also stated that the evacuation emerges as a priority for saving the lives of people from the cyclone and the process will continue for relocating the villagers.

"Our Arakkha People's Government's (Arakanese government) aid & rescue teams are also evacuating people from the low-lying areas where the storm may affect badly. We are also continuing the effort to bring the people to safer places,” he asserted.

Other villagers have been warned to be in alert mode for preventive evacuation.

He also stated that those villages have been taught how to prepare in advance for such disasters.

Flashlights, food items, medicines etc have been distributed among them. They are also made aware of using the electrical equipments during the storm.

“Some villagers don't prefer to go out of their places and they have been advised to take precautions. We distributed life jackets to them. Everyone in Rakhine State needs to be careful as the Mocha may hit the coastal region at any moment,” he explained.

Mocha may move to the north & northeast in the next few hours and it may reach the center of the Bay of Bengal. Once emerged as severe cyclonic storm, it may make landfall between  Bangladesh’s Cox's Bazar and Myanmar’s Kyaukphyu on 14 May, stated the Myanmar meteorological and hydrology department.