Myanmar floods cause mass displacement
At least 85,000 people displaced and 200,000 affected as heavy rainfall causes country’s most severe flooding in years.
Authorities in Myanmar say at least 85,000 people have fled their homes after the worst flooding in years submerged hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice fields.
Soe Tun, a government emergency official, said on Saturday 70,000 people had fled their homes in the delta and were being housed at 219 emergency relief centres that have been set up at schools and monasteries.
Tun said heavy rains over the last few weeks had caused the inundation in the country’s southern delta region.
He says another 15,000 people are displaced elsewhere in the country.
The delta was devastated in 2008 by Cyclone Nargis, which killed about 130,000 people.
No casualties have been confirmed during this month’s flooding, which has affected 200,000 people nationwide whose fields have been swamped with water.
Tun said some families that have not fled have moved to the upper floors of their dwellings. Local newspapers have reported that heavy rains and flooding have also damaged bridges, homes and rail lines.