• Burmese
Saturday, July 19, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
29 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Flooding Displaces Hundreds in Burma

Zarni Mann by Zarni Mann
September 17, 2013
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
Flooding Displaces Hundreds in Burma

A village near Taung Tha Man Lake

4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RANGOON — Hundreds of families have been forced to relocate in central and northwest Burma due to flooding of the Irrawaddy River and the Myitnge River.

Flooding has displaced more than 500 households in Mandalay Division and Sagaing Division, according to a resident and village administrator in Mandalay’s Amarapura Township. He said villages along the riverbanks had relocated to areas with temporary tents but faced a shortage of clean water and food, as parts of the road leading to Mandalay, a commercial hub, had been blocked by water.

“Flooding began in the villages on Saturday, and the water has since risen to six feet [1.8 meters] high, so nobody can live here,” the administrator, from the Shwe Lay area, told The Irrawaddy, asking to remain anonymous. “Some donors came and gave us water and food, but we still need to get clean water. We have moved from the village to temporary tents on higher land, while others have gone to stay with relatives.”

RelatedPosts

The Nation Where Brave Hearts—and Martyrs—Dwell

The Nation Where Brave Hearts—and Martyrs—Dwell

July 19, 2025
123
Conjuring an Election Illusion in War-Torn Shan; Raiding Offshore Gas to Stay Afloat; and More

Conjuring an Election Illusion in War-Torn Shan; Raiding Offshore Gas to Stay Afloat; and More

July 19, 2025
147
Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Protecting Irrawaddy Flotilla Kill 20

Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Protecting Irrawaddy Flotilla Kill 20

July 18, 2025
1.2k

In the temporary tents along Sagaing-Mandalay Road, flood victims said their fields have been flooded and they worried that poor sanitation at their temporary shelters could lead to illness.

“It is very difficult for us to find a toilet, so we are afraid we might face an outbreak of diarrhea,” said Aung Kyaw, another resident from Shwe Lay. “Our croplands are also under water, so we’re worried about our livelihoods. We don’t know how long this flooding will last. If all the water recedes, it will take at least four months to rebuild our homes and our lives.”

Local residents say the rivers have not flooded on such a scale since 2003, when water levels rose to more than three meters. Many blame a nearby dam project for the current flooding.

“Since the Ye Ywar dam was constructed, water flows with force when we have heavy rains,” Aung Kyaw said.

The flooding has also affected professors and students at Yadanabon University in Mandalay’s Tadaroo region. The road leading to the university is partially covered with water, as is the university compound, creating problems for students who are currently sitting for exams.

“The road is blocked terribly and it’s difficult to move around,” a student said. “First we thought the exam date would be changed, but now we have to go to the exam room by walking through dirty water, and we have to sit through the exam all wet so we can’t concentrate.”

The road to Taung Tha Man Lake in Amarapura Township has also been blocked.

Meanwhile, travelers have been urged to stay away from the ancient city of Inwa, a major tourist attraction in Mandalay Division, until flooding recedes.

“For days we have not been able to send tourists to the area,” a Mandalay-based tour operator said. “All the roads in Inwa were flooded—even horse carts can’t get around. We need to apologize to travelers and all the sightseeing trips to Inwa that have been canceled for at least two weeks.”

Meteorologists say heavy rains in Upper Burma are the main reason for the flooding.

“Heavy rains in Kachin State, Shan State and Upper Sagaing Division, as well as heavy rainfall in Mandalay Division, increased the water level of the Irrawaddy and Myitnge rivers”, said Dr. Tun Lwin, former director-general of Burma’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).

“Although monsoon season is about to end in the country, there will be still more rain. Since this year is the year of flooding for the country, we need to be on alert until the first week of October. Flooding will seriously affect the delta.”

According to the meteorology department’s official website, the water level of the Irrawaddy River in Sagaing Division rose 38 centimeters above the official “danger level” last week. Water levels also rose past the danger level in Pakokku in Magway Division and Nyaung Oo in Mandalay Division, as well as in Hinthada and Ngathaing Chaung in Irrawaddy division.

The department has forecast heavy rainfalls for the next 48 hours in Mandalay Division, Rangoon Division, Irrawaddy Division, Mon State and Tenasserim Division, as well as isolated showers in Magway Division, Pegu Division, Arakan State and Karen State.

Flood warnings are also in effect for the next 48 hours for Minbu and Magway city in Magway Division, and for Prome and Aunglan in Pegu Division.

Your Thoughts …
Zarni Mann

Zarni Mann

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Exodus: Tens of Thousands Flee as Myanmar Junta Troops Face Last Stand in Kokang
Burma

Exodus: Tens of Thousands Flee as Myanmar Junta Troops Face Last Stand in Kokang

by Hein Htoo Zan
November 28, 2023
98.5k

Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army troops are opening roads and pathways through forests for people to flee Kokang’s capital as...

Read moreDetails
Burning Alive in Myanmar: Two Resistance Fighters Executed in Public
Burma

Burning Alive in Myanmar: Two Resistance Fighters Executed in Public

by The Irrawaddy
February 7, 2024
90.4k

People’s Defense Force says junta troops told every household in the village to send one member to witness the double...

Read moreDetails
Another Entire Junta Battalion Raises the White Flag in Myanmar’s Northern Shan State
War Against the Junta

Another Entire Junta Battalion Raises the White Flag in Myanmar’s Northern Shan State

by The Irrawaddy
November 29, 2023
87.1k

Brotherhood Alliance member says it now has complete control of Kokang’s northernmost section after the junta’s Light Infantry Battalion 125...

Read moreDetails
Depleted Myanmar Military Urges Deserters to Return to Barracks
Burma

Depleted Myanmar Military Urges Deserters to Return to Barracks

by The Irrawaddy
December 4, 2023
59k

The junta said deserters would not be punished for minor crimes, highlighting the military’s shortage of troops as resistance offensives...

Read moreDetails
As Myanmar’s Military Stumbles, a Top General’s Dissapearance Fuels Intrigue
Burma

As Myanmar’s Military Stumbles, a Top General’s Dissapearance Fuels Intrigue

by The Irrawaddy
April 19, 2024
47k

The junta’s No. 2 has not been seen in public since April 3, sparking rumors that he was either gravely...

Read moreDetails
Enter the Dragon, Exit the Junta: Myanmar’s Brotherhood Alliance makes Chinese New Year Vow
Burma

Enter the Dragon, Exit the Junta: Myanmar’s Brotherhood Alliance makes Chinese New Year Vow

by The Irrawaddy
February 12, 2024
44.8k

Ethnic armed grouping says it will continue Operation 1027 offensive until goal of ousting the junta is achieved. 

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Strict Lending Rules Limit Growth of Hire Purchase in Burma

Strict Lending Rules Limit Growth of Hire Purchase in Burma

On Cusp of FDI Boom

On Cusp of FDI Boom, Mon State Still Struggling to Lure Investors: Lawmaker

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

What the ‘Snake Charmer’ Analogy Gets Wrong About Myanmar

What the ‘Snake Charmer’ Analogy Gets Wrong About Myanmar

4 days ago
1.5k
Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

1 week ago
3.5k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Protecting Irrawaddy Flotilla Kill 20

    Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Protecting Irrawaddy Flotilla Kill 20

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • More Than 20,000 Displaced As Myanmar Junta Burns Homes Around World Heritage Site

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Using Conscripts as Cannon Fodder, Defectors Say

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Indian Top Brass Visit Myanmar After Cross-Border Drone Attack

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta’s Recapture of Nawnghkio Shows Strategic Missteps by TNLA

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.