Floods in Myanmar have killed at least 226 people in just over a week, state media reported on Tuesday.
Impact Of Typhoon Yagi
The floods followed heavy rains brought on by Typhoon Yagi.
The typhoon battered the central provinces of the war-torn Southeast Asian country.
Mandalay, the second largest city, the capital Naypyitaw and parts of Shan state are areas hardest hit by the floods.
In recent months, there has been heavy fighting in Shan state which is a sprawling province.
People Have Gone Missing
Some 77 people are still missing, state media said.
“A total of 388 relief camps were opened in nine regions and states, and the well-wishers donated drinking water, food and clothes,” reported the Global New Light of Myanmar, the newspaper of the military government.
Damage Assessment By UN Agencies
In the Mandalay region alone, some 40,000 acres of agricultural land were submerged and some 26,700 houses damaged by the heavy rains and flooding, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also said many flood-hit regions were difficult to reach as several roads were damaged and telecoms and electricity networks disrupted.
“Affected areas include camps for displaced people, including children, who were already struggling with limited services due to ongoing conflict,” UNICEF said in a statement.
Need For Aid From Foreign Countries
Myanmar’s Army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said government officials must contact foreign countries for aid for the victims.
Impact Of The Typhoon on Thailand And Vietnam
Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Asia this year, has left a trail of devastation through parts of Southeast Asia.
The typhoon killied at least 292 people in Vietnam where it made landfall.
In Thailand, the storm caused heavy rains and flooding that inundated northern cities, including on the border with Myanmar.
Casualties In Thailand
At least 45 people have died across Thailand from flooding and flood-related events such as mudslides since last month, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Casualties And Damage In Laos
In Laos, at least three people were killed and over 440 families evacuated.
In addition, flooding in eight provinces of Laos has also swamped some 7,825 acres of paddy fields, UNICEF said.
Need Of Humanitarian Aid
Around a third of Myanmar’s 55 million people are already in need of humanitarian aid following incessant conflict triggered by a February 2021 coup.
At that time, the powerful military unseated the civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
