Duringthis year’s monsoon season, heavy rainfall in Laymyethna Township, Ayeyawady Region, caused sand boils to emerge from the underlying sand layer at the river breach area beneath the Ngawun River embankment, allowing water to flow through and resulting in a lowering of the embankment. Consequently, floodwaters have entered wards in Laymyethna town and surrounding villages, as well as villages in Hinthada, Yegyi and Kyonpyaw townships. Extensive relief and rescue operations are currently being carried out to assist the affected communities.
The State Government is promptly conducting field visits to areas affected by flooding and carrying out relief and rescue operations in a timely manner. The relevant regional government is also stepping up efforts to undertake search and rescue operations, evacuate flood victims to safer locations, provide food and drinking water supplies, deliver healthcare services, and protect people from the risk of riverbank erosion and collapse, since the flooding first occurred.
In carrying out rehabilitation and reconstruction works, it is necessary to take into consideration not only the current flood risks but also potential disasters that may occur in the future. Measures must therefore be planned and implemented in accordance with established standards and norms to ensure greater sustainability and resilience in the future while minimizing adverse impacts on the regional economy.
During the period of flooding, not only charitable organizations from Ayeyawady Region but also philanthropic groups from across the country came to Laymyethna Township and participated in flood relief and rescue operations. Residents also, with the spirit of solving their own community’s difficulties themselves, worked alongside the rescue teams by operating boats, transporting supplies, preparing food, and helping with various tasks needed at relief camps. Rescue and relief operations were carried out in a timely manner without any loss of human or animal lives, due to preparation and timely action.
Generous donors from various parts of the country also went beyond making donations in their own localities by personally travelling to Laymyethna Township, one of the areas hardest hit by the floods, to donate food supplies, drinking water, clothing and other necessities.
Therefore, although natural disasters are forces of nature that cannot be prevented, their impacts and losses can be minimized through preparation and appropriate measures. We must therefore prepare in advance, closely monitor developments, assess risks and take timely action before disasters occur. Indeed, the floods inundated homes, submerged roads and agricultural land, and disrupted people’s daily lives. However, they could not submerge the unity and solidarity of the people of Myanmar.
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