Myanmar: Heavy monsoon rains expected in late June and July

Event

As the seasonal monsoon in Myanmar begins to peak, heavy rainfall is expected from late June through July. On Tuesday, June 20, the Department of Relief and Resettlement warned that people should be aware of flooding and landslides due to the heavy rain. Some areas have already experienced flooding. On June 13, six families in the Thayet district and Magwe township were displaced due to the floodwaters and two people were reported dead in Shan State in mid-June. Hilly regions are particularly susceptible to landslides and areas near rivers have the potential to be affected by flash floods.

According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), heavy rain from the strong monsoon is expected in the coming week in Rakhine state, Nay Pyi Taw, Upper Sagaing, Magwe region, Ayeyarwady region, Tanintharyi region, Kachin state, and Mon state.

Context

Flooding is a common occurrence in Myanmar in June, July, and August as heavy rain causes rivers to overflow. Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by floods in the last two years.

In 2015, more than 100 people were reported dead due to flooding which destroyed many houses and roads and a state of emergency was declared in the four most affected regions. Last year, more than 477,000 people from 11 regions were affected by flooding, in addition to eight reported fatalities, from July to August 17.

Advice

Individuals present in the affected areas are advised to monitor the situation, to avoid areas directly hit by flooding, and to adhere to any orders issued by the local authorities. Remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products; all items having come into contact with the water should be disinfected and all foodstuffs discarded.