MORE than 14,000 residents of Bago township were last week forced to leave their homes after heavy rain pushed the Bago River to record highs on August 10 and 11.
Residents said the flooding, which was in excess of 5 feet (1.5 metres) in some quarters, was among the worst they had experienced. It also brought traffic on the normally busy Yangon-Bago Highway to a virtual standstill, with about 3 feet (90 centimetres) of water in some sections.
Following three days of heavy rain, the Bago River exceeded its danger level of 910cm on August 9 and hit 952cm at 12:30pm on August 10. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology issued a statement saying that the level had bettered the old record of 950cm, reached in both 1970 and 1993.
The river peaked at 960cm on the evening of August 11 before receding to 925cm at 2pm on August 12.
A Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) official said 14,364 people from 3121 households had been evacuated to 24 relief camps in Bago as of August 11.
“I moved to the monastery because I was worried about my children,” said Daw Nwe Ni Oo from Bago’s Kyun Thar Yar quarter. “I’m not sure whether my house will be able to withstand the flooding so I left some of my household goods at a neighbour’s house. My husband works in a teashop and now the shop is closed so we don’t haven any income.”
Daw Aye Aye Thin, 47, said she made the decision to leave her Kyun Thar Yar quarter home after the water rose to her waist.
“The water increased very fast this time. We tried to stay in our house as long as we could but the water level rose really high on August 9 and was up to my waist this morning so I went to the monastery. It has been quite a long time since we’ve seen flooding as bad as this,” she said on August 10.
Other badly affected quarters were Mazin, Kalayar Ni, Kyauk Kyi Su, Zai Ga Naing, and Oaktha 7, officials said.
“More families moved to the monastery this morning,” Ko Zayar, a lay-student at West Shwe Nantha monastery in Bago, said on August 10. “There are more than 2500 people here today. The monastery compound is also flooded and there is water along the corridors where flooding victims normally shelter.”
Flooding on a section of the Yangon-Bago Highway near Kyun Tharyar Highway Bus Station meant the road was passable only for trucks and other heavy vehicles, with cars forced to wait for the water to subside.
Firemen, traffic police and local authorities took to the streets to manage the traffic and ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing the water, while many shops and religious buildings closed their doors on August 10.
Daw Kalima, a 67-year-old resident of Mazin quarter, said she moved to West Shwe Nantha monastery on August 8, two days after returning to her home from hospital.
“I have to be careful not to catch a cold or I’ll get sick again. When my hut was flood I had no choice but to leave for the monastery,” she said.
Daw Than Than Sint, 47, who sheltered in the same monastery with six of her family members, said the authorities had looked after flood victims better than in previous years. “We have received support from the local authorities and donors as well. They provided meals, rice, instant noodles and other goods. [Bago Region] Chief Minister U Nyan Win also visited the monastery a few days ago and arranged tarpaulins for the floor and roofing. He also checked the health situation and instructed officials to make sure everyone was looked after,” she said.
“After the flooding in late July we were given rice, blankets, cooking oil, cash and soap from the authorities when we went back to our homes,” she added.
She said that although she was grateful for the support, she wanted to return to her home as soon as possible.
“We can shelter in the corridor of the monastery but now it is also flooded.”
Residents said the flooding, which was in excess of 5 feet (1.5 metres) in some quarters, was among the worst they had experienced. It also brought traffic on the normally busy Yangon-Bago Highway to a virtual standstill, with about 3 feet (90 centimetres) of water in some sections.
Following three days of heavy rain, the Bago River exceeded its danger level of 910cm on August 9 and hit 952cm at 12:30pm on August 10. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology issued a statement saying that the level had bettered the old record of 950cm, reached in both 1970 and 1993.
The river peaked at 960cm on the evening of August 11 before receding to 925cm at 2pm on August 12.
A Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) official said 14,364 people from 3121 households had been evacuated to 24 relief camps in Bago as of August 11.
“I moved to the monastery because I was worried about my children,” said Daw Nwe Ni Oo from Bago’s Kyun Thar Yar quarter. “I’m not sure whether my house will be able to withstand the flooding so I left some of my household goods at a neighbour’s house. My husband works in a teashop and now the shop is closed so we don’t haven any income.”
Daw Aye Aye Thin, 47, said she made the decision to leave her Kyun Thar Yar quarter home after the water rose to her waist.
“The water increased very fast this time. We tried to stay in our house as long as we could but the water level rose really high on August 9 and was up to my waist this morning so I went to the monastery. It has been quite a long time since we’ve seen flooding as bad as this,” she said on August 10.
Other badly affected quarters were Mazin, Kalayar Ni, Kyauk Kyi Su, Zai Ga Naing, and Oaktha 7, officials said.
“More families moved to the monastery this morning,” Ko Zayar, a lay-student at West Shwe Nantha monastery in Bago, said on August 10. “There are more than 2500 people here today. The monastery compound is also flooded and there is water along the corridors where flooding victims normally shelter.”
Flooding on a section of the Yangon-Bago Highway near Kyun Tharyar Highway Bus Station meant the road was passable only for trucks and other heavy vehicles, with cars forced to wait for the water to subside.
Firemen, traffic police and local authorities took to the streets to manage the traffic and ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing the water, while many shops and religious buildings closed their doors on August 10.
Daw Kalima, a 67-year-old resident of Mazin quarter, said she moved to West Shwe Nantha monastery on August 8, two days after returning to her home from hospital.
“I have to be careful not to catch a cold or I’ll get sick again. When my hut was flood I had no choice but to leave for the monastery,” she said.
Daw Than Than Sint, 47, who sheltered in the same monastery with six of her family members, said the authorities had looked after flood victims better than in previous years. “We have received support from the local authorities and donors as well. They provided meals, rice, instant noodles and other goods. [Bago Region] Chief Minister U Nyan Win also visited the monastery a few days ago and arranged tarpaulins for the floor and roofing. He also checked the health situation and instructed officials to make sure everyone was looked after,” she said.
“After the flooding in late July we were given rice, blankets, cooking oil, cash and soap from the authorities when we went back to our homes,” she added.
She said that although she was grateful for the support, she wanted to return to her home as soon as possible.
“We can shelter in the corridor of the monastery but now it is also flooded.”
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