Cyclone Mocha

North Indian Ocean cyclone in 2023

Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha
Mocha at peak intensity approaching Myanmar on 14 May
Meteorological history
Formed9 May 2023
Dissipated15 May 2023
Extremely severe cyclonic storm
3-minute sustained (IMD)
Highest winds215 km/h (130 mph)
Lowest pressure938 hPa (mbar); 27.70 inHg
Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds280 km/h (175 mph)
Lowest pressure918 hPa (mbar); 27.11 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities463
Injuries719
Missing≥101
Damage$2.24 billion (2023 USD)
Areas affectedAndaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Yunnan
IBTrACS / [1][2][3][4][5][6]

Part of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha[a] (/ˈmkə/) was an extremely powerful and deadly tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean which affected Myanmar and parts of Bangladesh in May 2023. The second depression and the first cyclonic storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Mocha originated from a low-pressure area that was first noted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 8 May. After consolidating into a depression, the storm tracked slowly north-northwestward over the Bay of Bengal, and reached extremely severe cyclonic storm intensity. After undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, Mocha rapidly strengthened, peaking at Category 5-equivalent intensity on 14 May with winds of 280 km/h (175 mph), tying with Cyclone Fani as the strongest storm on record in the North Indian Ocean in terms of 1-minute sustained winds. Mocha slightly weakened before making landfall, and its conditions quickly became unfavorable. Mocha rapidly weakened once inland and dissipated shortly thereafter. Through, this cyclone was the most strongest cyclone ever recorded in India as of wind speed up to 280 km/h. It was also the most intense cyclone in the Indian Ocean as of wind speed.

Thousands of volunteers assisted citizens of Myanmar and Bangladesh in evacuating as the cyclone approached the international border.[8] Evacuations were also ordered for low-lying areas in Sittwe, Pauktaw, Myebon, Maungdaw, and Buthidaung. In Bangladesh, over 500,000 individuals were ordered to be relocated from coastal areas of the country due to the storm's approach. Officials from the military declared the state of Rakhine a natural disaster area. Several villages in Rakhine State were also damaged by the cyclone. The death toll for Cyclone Mocha varies significantly. ASEAN reported a total of 145 deaths,[9] whereas the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) stated that Cyclone Mocha killed at least 463 people, including three indirect deaths in Bangladesh. The storm also injured 719 people and left 101 others missing.[10][6] It caused about US$2.24 billion of damage in Myanmar.

Elsewhere, thousands of homes were destroyed in Bangladesh. Twelve people were injured, and the agricultural damage there reached 115 million (US$1.07 million), though impact was less severe than initially feared. Seven people in Sri Lanka were indirectly injured and another seven were reported missing due to the cyclone. In India, 5,749 people across over 50 villages were affected, and at least 236 houses were damaged. The remnants of Mocha then contributed to blizzards in China.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
circle Tropical cyclone
square Subtropical cyclone
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression