Heavy flooding in southern Myanmar displaces more than 10,000 people

Flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Myanmar’s southern areas has displaced more than 10,000 people and disrupted traffic on the rail lines that connect the country’s biggest cities, officials and state-run media said Monday. A senior official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Lay Shwe Zin Oo, said constant rainfall in the Bago region that began last week caused flooding in the low-lying areas of its capital, Bago Township. She said there were no casualties reported so far, but that more than 10,000 people had to abandon their homes.
Bago Township recorded 7.87 inches (200 millimeters) of rainfall, its highest level in 59 years, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said Sunday. Rain or thundershowers was forecast for across the country until Monday evening.
One of the leaders of an emergency rescue team in Bago told The Associated Press that the flooding was at least 7-8 feet (2.44 meters) deep in low-lying areas and 3-4 feet downtown.
“Almost the whole area of the town was flooded,” That Zin Maung, chairman of the Mizzima Thukha Charity Foundation said by phone on Monday. “It is the third flood in the town this year and the worst in many years. All the monasteries in the town have opened relief camps. Charity organizations are evacuating people from low-lying areas as much as they can.”
A 55-year-old resident of Bago’s Pan Hlaing ward interviewed by phone said the flood waters were about 5-6 feet deep in her neighbourhood, and her family members were living on the second and third floors of their house.