Almost 100 people have died and at least 900,000 others have been affected by weeks of catastrophic flooding that has forced many villagers into temporary housing in the southeastern Asian country of Myanmar.
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The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, said Friday that she had been denied permission to visit the state during her tour of the country last week. However, 41 dams were releasing excess water through their spillways while 21 had not exceeded their capacity.
In recent days fears have grown for rising waters in the the more downstream areas of the Irrawaddy basin and its delta, two key agricultural areas close to the commercial hub Yangon. The president said that the government is ready to assist farmers in ploughing their lands and provide them with seeds to grow rice. Myanmar’s rice harvest begins in June or July and runs until September or October. The one-and-a-half-month freeze is to ensure an adequate supply of rice for the domestic market and to maintain stability of rice.
Myanmar authorities on Monday deported an additional 159 Bangladeshi nationals after their verification process was completed.
Although flood response is expected to be a major factor in the country’s November elections, the French Press Agency reports that numerous residents affected by the flooding didn’t turn to government aid as the floodwaters rose.
Thailand was an early aid donor, sending 5 million baht for flood relief a week ago.
The aid includes 100 motorboats to be sent to flood-hit areas as soon as possible.
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Flooding and landslides caused by monsoon rains and the tail-end of Cyclone Komen have affected 12 of Myanmar’s 14 states and divisions, all except for Karenni state and Tenasserim division, according to The Irrawaddy online journal.
