"SITUATION ANALYSIS Description of the crisis Cyclonic Storm Mocha caused extensive devastation in the country, affecting regions already facing challenges due to civil unrest, armed clashes, a changing climate and a fragile economy. The cyclone brought about destructive storm surges, heavy rainfall, and flooding, impacting areas such as Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Sagaing. The State Administration Council responded by declaring natural disaster areas in Rakhine and Chin states. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), as an independent humanitarian actor as enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015, has a specific response role when a declaration of natural disasters is issued. According to analysis from MRCS’s branches, over 1,100,000 individuals from over 237,000 households are affected, with a large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. Water systems, sanitation facilities, public and community infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and religious buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure, suffered severe damage or complete destruction. Livelihoods have been severely disrupted with the loss of livestock and floods that impacted croplands. The cyclone's aftermath has led to increased prices of basic goods, and the situation has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the affected population. Disrupted access to healthcare, medicine shortages, and the risks posed by landmines in flooded conflict areas further exacerbate the challenges. Urgent measures are required to protect and support unaccompanied children, the needs of women and girls and other populations in situations of vulnerability. The cyclone occurred within an already challenging humanitarian context in Myanmar. At the end of 2022, OCHA identified that over 17.6 million people would be in humanitarian need in Myanmar in 20231. Prior to the 1 February 2021 military intervention, Rakhine state already registered over 220,000 internally displaced people (IDP). In the past two years, through the end of April 2023, an additional 10,000 people were displaced within the state2. The MRCS, with support from the IFRC network, has maintained long-term programming in Rakhine state since large-scale violence erupted in the north of the state in 2012. Through its branch and community-level principled humanitarian actions, MRCS is a well-known humanitarian actor. Like all humanitarian actors, MRCS also has experienced challenges to maintain its continual access to communities in need and advocates with the relevant stakeholders based on its humanitarian mission. In the second week of June 2023, access to areas in Rakhine state for the cyclone response was temporarily suspended for humanitarian organisations, though previously planned and agreed humanitarian activities could proceed in line with usual processes. The authorities have indicated that actors’ Cyclone Mocha response activities must be coordinated with the National Disaster Management Committee and abide with the regular coordination with the respective line ministries. Aligned with its established functions enshrined in national law, the MRCS, with IFRC support, is engaged in humanitarian diplomacy to obtain access to reach populations in need within this response operation, as well as in the ongoing programmatic actions. The IFRC continues to support MRCS with strategic and operational guidance, as well as engaging with other humanitarian actors as needed, to strengthen the National Society’s capacities to remain and be perceived as an effective and efficient principled humanitarian actor. Summary of the response Overview of the host National Society and ongoing response The Myanmar Red Cross Society is an independent humanitarian organization that operates impartially and neutrally. Its role as an auxiliary to the state in the humanitarian field, operating in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, is enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015. The MRCS has a strong presence with over a thousand trained Emergency Response Team (ERT) volunteers and 44,000 members nationwide, including 7,994 core Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) active at the community level. The organization has 23 warehouses strategically located throughout the country to support preparedness and response efforts. It also has regional and state branches across the country, and a substantial presence in various operational hubs in Rakhine State, under the management of the MRCS Rakhine Operations Management Unit established over the past decade. During this reporting period, 962 volunteers were deployed to aid the most affected communities since the cyclone made landfall. The MRCS has established communication channels and built relationships with local authorities and communities in the affected areas through its local staff, volunteers, and branches. This enables them to reach vulnerable communities and provide immediate humanitarian assistance. Through its community presence, MRCS has access on the ground and has collected data as well as assessed the impact of Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State and Magway and Ayeyarwady regions in particular. In anticipation of the cyclone, the MRCS activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) one week before landfall and initiated preparedness measures and early actions well in advance. Prior to landfall, MRCS volunteers in the projected path and impact zone assisted with evacuations, conducted awareness campaigns, and gathered preliminary data. After the cyclone made landfall, on 14 May, MRCS branches mobilized their volunteers to engage in rescue operations, clear roads and debris, provide first aid and psychosocial support, and collect initial observations and data. MRCS also mobilized its existing operational resources to respond to the aftermath, deploying trained expert personnel to directly provide assistance and support services such as logistics and supply chain. As of 14 June 2023, MRCS has reached 147,142 people (28,694 households) with relief assistance, including shelter, livelihood support, clean water, and essential household items. A total of 4,650 individuals from 930 households received shelter assistance through distribution of tarpaulins, family kits and blankets. In the hardest-hit region of Rakhine State, MRCS distributed 549,210 liters of safe drinking water, along with 19,000 liters of domestic water to affected communities. To uphold the dignity of the affected communities, hygiene parcels for families, specialized hygiene kits for men, and dignity kits for women were distributed in various affected regions, including Rakhine, Magway, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Bago, and Mandalay. Around 6,985 individuals were reached with these items. Additionally, MRCS distributed 112 sets of children's clothing to support affected children. MRCS's mobile health clinics in Rakhine have provided assistance to 1,616 individuals since it started on 17 May. Operational coordination meetings are regularly organized in collaboration with the IFRC, involving in-country partners and the ICRC, to provide technical and planning support to MRCS for the response. MRCS, IFRC and ICRC meet in Movement tripartite meetings at a strategic level. The regular tripartite security cell meetings are being used for regular risk analysis and security planning. Moreover, MRCS and IFRC are observers in HCT meetings and Cluster coordination as part of their external coordination efforts. IFRC together with MRCS have been actively engaging the IFRC network, both in-country and remotely, to work on a Federation-wide approach. The development of the Federation-wide Operational Strategy involved a shared leadership approach, drawing upon the expertise of the IFRC network and past experiences from drafting the Unified Plan and the ongoing New Way of Working. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are also coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline communication and reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC network. In addition, the IFRC network had mobilized three rapid response personnel (surge) for the operation, including for the combined Myanmar Shelter/ NFI/ CCCM Clusterto enhance and complement the existing coordination structure. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are also coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline communication and reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC network. In order to provide ongoing assistance to the MRCS in Rakhine state, which is most severely affected by cyclone Mocha, the IFRC Myanmar Delegation deployed a Senior Services Manager for two weeks and Senior Operations Officer for two weeks. Future deployments by IFRC country delegation staff are planned. Their presence allows for support to the MRCS, as well as participation in the coordination structures at Rakhine state level. The IFRC is contributing to MRCS-led collaborative efforts to develop and execute a comprehensive assistance plan..."