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Myanmar: Floods - Jun 2016

Status
Past
Countries
Myanmar
Disaster types
Flood
+ 3 more

Rains since the beginning of June caused flooding in five states and regions of Myanmar. According to the initial reports from the Government Relief and Resettlement Department, at least 26,000 people were affected in Ayeyarwady, Bago and Sagaing regions as well as Chin and Rakhine states. A total of 14 deaths were reported from the Union-level Relief and Resettlement Department, media sources and the Rakhine State Government.(UNRC Myanmar, 14 Jun 2016)

On 1 July, heavy rain started across the country, causing flooding and landslides in Rakhine, Sagaing and Kachin. The Rakhine State Government reported that more than 24,306 people were displaced across the four most affected townships – Minbya (13,123), Ann (4,659), Mrauk-U (3,696) and Kyauktaw (2,828 people). (ECHO, 14 Jul 2016)

Floods brought by monsoon rains since late July 2016 affected a number of townships in Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, Ayeyarwady, Magway and Yangon region and to some extent, Kachin State. According to the figures released by the Relief and Resettlement Department (RRD) on 9 August, at least 377,000 people have been displaced from their homes in the six states with Magway being the most affected area – where some 60,000 people have been displaced. Five people have died – two in Sagaing, two in Kachin and one in Yangon. Many schools remain closed across affected areas as floodwater gradually moved south towards the Ayeyarwady Delta. (IFRC, 16 Nov 2016)

Through June, July and August, heavy monsoon flooding temporarily displaced roughly half a million people in 11 states and regions. The flooding also damaged agricultural land, fish farms, schools, roads, bridges, wells and communal buildings. (OCHA, 30 Sep 2016)

State and local governments led the response to the floods, sandbagging vulnerable areas along river banks and providing food, water, relief items, cash and shelter materials to affected people. The government’s emergency operations centre was not activated and the response is mostly being managed at the state/regional level using existing resources. The government is coordinating with the Red Cross Red Crescent, civil society organizations and other actors who are providing relief supplies including food, water and oral rehydration salts. By early October, the rains lessened in intensity and the water level of previously flooded rivers started to recede. Once the flooding subsided, people started returning back to their homes and the needs for nonfood items and shelter were drastically reduced. (IFRC, 16 Nov 2016)