Burma Devastated by Floods, Claiming 226 Lives as Reported by State Media

Floods in Burma (also known as Myanmar) have claimed the lives of at least 226 individuals within a span of just over a week, as reported by state media on Tuesday. This devastation was caused by heavy rains brought on by Typhoon Yagi, which battered the central provinces of this war-torn Southeast Asian nation.

Around one-third of Burma’s 55 million population is currently in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, following continuous conflict instigated by a coup in February 2021, when the military ousted the civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

The areas most severely impacted by the flooding include Mandalay, the second-largest city, the capital Naypyitaw, and regions of Shan state, which has experienced significant fighting in recent months.

According to state media, 77 individuals are still unaccounted for.

“A total of 388 relief camps were established in nine regions and states, where generous donors contributed drinking water, food, and clothing,” stated the Global New Light of Myanmar, the military government’s newspaper.

In the Mandalay region alone, approximately 40,000 acres of agricultural land were submerged, and about 26,700 houses were damaged by the heavy rains and floods, as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also mentioned that numerous flood-affected regions were challenging to access due to damaged roads and disrupted telecommunication and electrical networks.

“The impacted areas include camps for displaced individuals, including children, who were already facing difficulties with limited services because of the ongoing conflict,” stated UNICEF in a release.

Regional Impact

Typhoon Yagi, considered the most potent storm to hit Asia this year, has left a path of destruction across parts of Southeast Asia, claiming the lives of at least 292 people in Vietnam, where it made landfall.

In Thailand, the storm resulted in heavy rainfall and floods that submerged northern cities, including those along the border with Burma.

According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, at least 45 individuals in Thailand lost their lives due to flooding and flood-related incidents such as mudslides since the previous month.

In Laos, at least three people were killed, and over 440 families were evacuated as flooding affected eight provinces, flooding approximately 7,825 acres of paddy fields, as reported by UNICEF.