BAGO: Volunteers and aid workers are rushing to support flood-stricken regions in Myanmar as the death toll from Typhoon Yagi’s deluge climbs to 113 and remote areas reported increasing numbers of dead and missing.
The devastating floods, triggered by the typhoon that struck the region last weekend, have caused widespread destruction and displacement across Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, with over 400 reported dead.
The situation in Myanmar remains dire, with severe flooding and landslides affecting vast areas. Communication challenges due to damaged infrastructure and disrupted phone and internet services have made it difficult to obtain accurate information from affected regions.
In the town of Kalaw in Shan State, which has been severely impacted, reports indicate that floodwaters reached up to four meters (15 feet) high. Witnesses described scenes of destruction, with buildings swept away and families stranded on rooftops.
A local NGO worker reported that 40 bodies had been recovered from the town’s hospital, and other sources reported nearly 60 fatalities in Kalaw alone. The junta has yet to confirm whether these figures are included in the latest death toll.
Inle Lake, a popular tourist destination about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Kalaw, has also been heavily affected. Floodwaters have risen to the second storey of houses built on stilts, submerging entire villages and causing widespread displacement.
More than 320,000 people have been forced into temporary relief camps, according to junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun. In response, volunteers and aid organizations have mobilized, sending convoys of trucks from Yangon loaded with essential supplies such as bottled water, clothing, and dried food. Some vehicles are also equipped with boats to aid in rescue operations.
READ ALSO: BJP’s Efforts to Undermine Muslim Identity in Jammu and Kashmir
The floods have compounded the suffering of Myanmar’s population, which has already faced significant hardship due to ongoing conflict since the military coup in 2021. Residents of the Yado displacement camp in Karen State, who had previously fled conflict, are now dealing with the additional devastation of flooding. One resident, Belto, reported that his sister was swept away by the floodwaters while trying to retrieve their belongings from their destroyed home.
Authorities are monitoring the situation on key rivers such as the Sittaung and Bago, which remain at dangerous levels, and there are concerns about further flooding in the coming days. The Thanlwin River in Hpa-an is also reported to be more than two meters above its danger level.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross have yet to comment on the junta’s request for international assistance.
The floods in Southeast Asia, exacerbated by climate change, highlight the growing intensity of extreme weather events.
