As of September 16, severe flooding across Myanmar has claimed the lives of 226 people and left 77 missing, according to reports published by the military junta’s official media on September 17.
The military’s statement highlighted that the death toll and number of missing persons continue to rise daily, with the worst-hit areas being Naypyidaw, Mandalay Region, and Shan State.
In Shan State’s Kalaw township, locals were unprepared for the sudden flooding. “We never expected something like this,” said U Hla Win, head of a local social rescue team in Kalaw. “The death toll isn’t as high as the 100 that’s being reported. We’ve recovered 12 bodies so far, and the search continues.”
According to official figures, over 2,100 homes in 56 townships have been damaged, with more than 150,000 people displaced. Around 420,000 households, comprising over 160000 people, have been affected by the floods.
The floods have also caused widespread damage to infrastructure, including over 1,000 schools, nearly 400 religious buildings, and more than 100 administrative offices across 84 townships in Naypyidaw, Karen State, Bago Region, Magway Region, Mandalay Region, Shan State, and the Ayeyarwady Region.
Additionally, more than 120,000 livestock, including buffalo and cattle, have perished, and 640,000 acres of rice fields and other crops have been submerged.
The flooding was triggered by heavy, continuous rainfall caused by Typhoon Ragi and a smaller storm forming in the Bay of Bengal. The affected areas span 56 townships across Naypyidaw, Kayah State, Mandalay Region, Magway Region, Shan State, Ayeyarwady Region, Bago Region, Karen State, and Mon State.
While floodwaters have started receding in some regions, towns such as Taungoo in Bago Region, Hpa-An in Karen State, and the Inle Lake area in Shan State continue to experience rising water levels.
