Emergency teams in Myanmar have issued an urgent warning over rising floodwaters. A severe deluge is currently sweeping through the western Rakhine and Chin states.
At least three people have died in the natural disaster. The casualty figures were published on Thursday by the humanitarian wing of the Arakan Army. This ethnic minority rebel group currently controls the flooded territory.
Local rescue worker Bo Aung Thein spoke from She Ta Lay village in Kyauktaw Township. The rescuer explained that emergency crews are deeply worried about the prospect of further water level increases.
The worker noted that higher water would make it incredibly difficult to safely evacuate vulnerable residents. This includes elderly people, pregnant women, sick individuals, and those trapped in low-lying neighbourhoods.
This severe weather event compounds an already dire humanitarian situation. Myanmar has been engulfed in a fierce civil war following a military coup in 2021.
According to the United Nations, the ongoing conflict has severely damaged transport links and communication networks. The international organisation estimates that more than a third of the national population is currently experiencing food insecurity.
The physical devastation across rural areas is immense. May Thein Yaine, a resident of Kyauk Kyat village, reported that her community of around 200 homes is almost entirely underwater.
The resident stated that only one or two houses remain above the floodline. Crucially, all local rice paddy fields have been completely submerged by the rising water. Fear is mounting among stranded families as the weather forecast predicts more rain.
Thuzar Aye, a young local mother, expressed her terror over the coming nights. She explained that she has young children at home. She fears they will have absolutely nowhere to shelter and no viable escape route if the water rises any further in the dark.
