Myanmar floods: People 'should leave low-lying areas' Skip to main content

Myanmar floods: People 'should leave low-lying areas'

6 Aug 2015
Aerial pictures of one of the worst-affected flood areas in upper Burma, in the town of Kalay
Aerial picture of one of the worst-affected flood areas in Sagaing region
Myanmar's president has called for people to leave low-lying areas in the flood-hit country as the Irrawaddy river threatens to breach embankments.
The death toll from the floods and landslides caused by heavy monsoon rain has risen to 74 and affected more than 330,000, officials say.
Four areas have been declared disaster zones with widespread flooding.
The government, which admits being weak in its response to the disaster, has appealed for international aid.
In a message broadcast on radio early on Thursday, President Thein Sein said areas near the Irrawaddy were at risk as the river rises "above danger level" and water drains through the vast Irrawaddy delta.
"As we cannot prevent natural disasters, I urge fellow citizens to move to safer places... it's the best way," he said, adding Hinthada and Nyaung Don townships along the river were in immediate danger.
Many areas are still completely cut off by high waters or damaged roads.
Myanmar (also known as Burma) experiences flooding every monsoon season, but has been particularly badly hit this year.
Residents look out from a monastery submerged by floodwaters in Kyouk Ye village near Hinthada town in Irrawaddy region on 6 August 2015
Residents look out from a monastery submerged by floodwaters in Kyouk Ye village near Hinthada in the Irrawaddy region
An elderly resident uses a rickety bamboo bridge over floodwaters to reach a house at Nyaung Don township in the Irrawaddy region on 5 August 2015
An elderly resident uses a rickety bamboo bridge over floodwaters to reach a house at Nyaung Don township in Irrawaddy
Aerial pictures of one of the worst-affected flood areas in upper Burma, in the town of Kalay
Four areas have been declared disaster zones with widespread flooding, like here in the Sagaing region
Boat driver Than Naing said this year's monsoon was the worst in living memory.
"I have never seen anything like this. Every year it floods a bit, but not like this," he told the AFP news agency.
"My parents are about 70 years old, and they haven't seen floods like this before."

Relief pledges

The government has admitted its response to the disaster has been "limited", with flood warnings not reaching everyone, and confusion over evacuations.
Several countries have now pledged emergency relief assistance.
Australia has said it will contribute A$2m (£1m), and Japan pledged relief supplies worth 18m yen (£90,000), while a 10-member Chinese search-and-rescue team arrived in the country's largest city, Yangon (also known as Rangoon), on Tuesday to help with relief efforts.
The call for international aid stands in contrast to the stance in 2008 when Cyclone Nargis killed more than 130,000, but the military junta then in power refused outside help.
Map

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in ...

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do...

Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera

The Life Story of A Distinguished And Outstanding Bhikkhu The Most Venerable Saradawpharagree Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera The Buddhist missionary Saradaw Ashin U Chandramani was endowed with great gifts and led a famous and long life. He was a very well known, distinguished and outstanding Bhikkhu Mahathera. While living in the Kushinagar Monastery, a place close to where the Lord Buddha had passed away to Nirvana, the Government of India had offered, and he had accepted, the highest, most honourable and respected title "Guru Guru MahaGuru". He became the first ever President of all Buddhists in India.A World Buddhist Conference took place in Kathmandu during the reign of King Mahindra of Nepal. The Conference was very well attended by over one hundred thousand Buddhists from various parts of the world and it was opened by King Mahindra himself. As requested by the King, Saradawpharagree blessed all the participants with the power of Triple Gems...