Flooding in Myanmar ‘worsening’ as monsoon rains pour

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar

Meteorologists in Myanmar have warned of more flooding as the country’s central and northern regions continue experiencing torrential rains, while hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced after southern areas were inundated over past weeks.

At least eight people were killed and more than 600,000 affected after nine regions countrywide were hit by flooding since last month, according to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

Although the water level in some regions has gradually dipped, the numbers of victims is on the rise with floods shifting to southern parts of the country.

Geographically, Myanmar sees itself in two sections -- upper Myanmar (the north and central parts, and mostly higher regions) and lower Myanmar (the south and southeast, which are mostly low-lying areas).

Tun Lwin, a former director-general of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, told Anadolu Agency on Sunday that the country is facing its most serious flooding in 60 years.

“The upper Myanmar could possibly face a flood again due to the continued rain over past two days,” said Tun Lwin.

With flooding persisting in lower Myanmar, currently the worst-hit area is the coastal Ayeyawaddy Region, home to a river with the same name that serves as the country's main inland waterway, flowing from north to south.

In Myanmar’s largest and commercial city of Yangon, young people hit the streets to collect donations for flood victims in the neighboring Ayeyawaddy region.

The latest government data show that 504,471 people from 123,643 families in 19 townships of the Ayeyawaddy Region -- the rice bowl of Myanmar -- have been affected by the floods.

Some groups of young people have been conducting their fundraising campaigns in shopping malls in downtown areas, while others ask for donations at traffic junctions across Yangon.

“We are trying to help the flood victims by providing the necessary things,” said 22-year-old student Myo Ohma while she and her friends asked for donations from commuters in the Hledan market area.

“Then we hand over money to the big charity groups which can reach the flood areas,” she told Anadolu Agency.

“It’s obvious that the government can’t cover the whole flood areas. That’s why we are here,” she said.

Floods are common in Myanmar during the monsoon period.

Last year, almost 100 people died and around one million were affected by flooding across the country, according to the government.