Millions of children at risk after cyclone swept Myanmar, Bangladesh: UNICEF

The trail of destruction left by Cyclone Mocha, which tore through parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, is causing severe disruption to the lives of millions of vulnerable children and families, including many already living in dire conditions, said the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday, Azernews reports citing Xinhua.

Even as the worst of the storm has passed, the risk of landslides remains high, and further dangers, including waterborne diseases, will likely grow in the days ahead, warned the fund.

Cyclone Mocha hit the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar on Sunday afternoon, leaving behind destroyed homes, health facilities, schools, and other critical infrastructure. Many of the hundreds of thousands of people affected are refugees or internally displaced people living in poorly structured shelters in camps and hard-to-reach areas. They rely heavily on humanitarian assistance for food, water, health, education, and protection, said UNICEF.

"The areas hit hardest by the storm are home to communities already living through conflict, poverty, instability, and climate and environmental shocks," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a press release.

The situation is particularly worrisome in Myanmar. More than 16 million people, 5.6 million of them children, were in the path of the cyclone in Rakhine State and locations in the northwest, said UNICEF.