Thousands of Civilians Displaced by Myanmar Military Raids Hit by Floods
By The Irrawaddy 19 October 2021
Civilians displaced from their homes by fighting in Gangaw Township, Magwe Region have been hit by floods, according to local sources.
Thousands of displaced residents from Hnan Khar Village, who fled across the Myitthar River after junta raids, have had to abandon their temporary shelters due to severe flooding.
The Myitthar River is swollen due to heavy rain, while the water level in Myitthar Dam is now more than five feet above its spillway.
Hnan Khar village is one of the villages in Gangaw Township that has been severely targeted by the military regime. Troops have looted properties, arrested people arbitrarily and killed civilians during their raids. Around 50 houses were torched during three raids in September, according to a local resident, and the village was also raided in June and August.
“Most of the people displaced by the fighting along the Myitthar River are from Hnan Khar Village. When junta troops raided our village, we crossed the river to the opposite bank. There is a sandbank, so we built temporary shelters and stayed there. But we have had to move again as the sandbank has flooded,” said a Hnan Khar villager.
The villagers are now in need of food and medical supplies. Other villages along the Myitthar River are also experiencing flooding and residents have been evacuated.
The Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Ministry of the parallel National Unity Government said heavy rain is expected in Magwe, Mandalay, Sagaing, Bago and Yangon regions from October 22-24.
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