More than a week of heavy rains throughout Southeast Asia has left farms and houses flooded in regions of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos where only two months ago, people suffered from a prolonged heat wave in the middle of concerns of drought.
In Myanmar, there have been 11 deaths linked to floods since July 27 in the regions of Bago and Ayeyarwady and in the state of Kayin, according to local residents and social assistance groups. Seven of these deaths were in the Bago region, said a social worker at Radio Free Asia.
“Four people drowned and three were electrocuted. We had to bury a child who was electrocuted,” said the social worker.
In Bago City, 20,000 people were forced from their home earlier this week. Now, with floods affecting most of the rest of the country, around 100,000 people are faced with a disaster, according to aid groups.
The newspapers affiliated to the junta said this week that military officials provided assistance to the affected cantons. But social assistance organizations and residents affected by the floods said that the soldiers had not implemented effective rescue plans.
A member of the Yangon help group who wanted to remain anonymous for security reasons criticized the junta to focus on the fight against insurgents in the north and west of Myanmar.
“Instead of tackling the natural disaster, they favor war,” said the member of the association. “I am deeply sorry for the people who suffer. For the moment, they [the junta] have not even donated clothes for their life and food. »»
A monk helping the victims of the floods in the Bago region told RFA that local authorities had not provided aid. Instead, they frequently inspect charitable organizations.
“In previous years, it was easy to work and move,” said the monk. “However, since the coup in 2021, working conditions have become difficult. Vehicles belonging to the humanitarian workers have been confiscated and impounded. ”
Cauts ruined in Cambodia
In Cambodia, several days of precipitation destroyed many hectares of spice, corn and rice along the Sangker river in the west of Battambang province, where water has increased for about two weeks, according to Ali Rohani, resident of the town of Prey Chas.
“We were not ready [for the flood]. I mean, rice has not yet been mature, “she said, adding that if farmers cannot sell their harvest, they will not be able to reimburse their loans.
“Everyone is afraid that there is no money for banks,” she said. “They don’t know where to get money for banks because we have already spent money in agriculture.”
Houses and rice fields were also flooded in the Banteays Meanchey, Pursat and Kampong Thom provinces.
In Banteay Meanchey, the Borei river in Mongkul has increased sharply and started overflowing in canals and rice fields. The farmers dropped large stones into the river to slow down the flow of the river.
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A resident of the Prasat Sambo district of Kampong Thom province said that the floods near the Sen river oblige people to evacuate.
The floods also affected rural residents at the bottom of the Lac Tonle Sap river.
Provincial officials have warned residents living near the Tnaot dam in Kandal province that flooding could continue to increase, potentially affecting people in the Dangkor district of Phnom Penh and elsewhere in Kandal.
Heavy rain, mud flows in Laos
In Laos, the floods in the Khounkham district of the Khammouane center province started on July 25 after a week of constant rain.
The authorities indicated that 1,225 hectares of rice fields and agricultural land had been affected by the rise in power.
Several residents told RFA on Tuesday that most of their rice and vegetable crops had been lost and that some roads were damaged.
In the province of Luang Prabang, 324 families living in 13 villages in the Viengkham district were affected by sudden floods last week. They were still without electricity on Tuesday.
A resident said on Monday that mudslides had struck houses and covered agricultural land. District and village officials worked to bring food and drinking water to the region, the resident said.
Translated by Kalyar Lwin, Yun Samean and Phouvong. Edited by Matt Reed.
RFA Burmese, RFA Khmer and RFA Laos contributed to this report.