Situation report: monsoon flooding in Myanmar


August 18, 2016

Situation

Monsoon flooding has displaced more than 422,000 people in Myanmar since late July. The flooding has affected eight states: Magway, Mandalay, Yangon, Kachin, Ayeyarwady, Mon, Bago and Sagaing. Flood waters are gradually moving south towards the Ayeyarwady River delta, where a dyke breached on August 7 in Ingapu Township, submerging about 1,500 acres of paddy fields.

CWS Response

State and regional governments are managing the flood response in coordination with the Myanmar Red Cross and other organizations. In some cases, families are receiving food, water, construction materials and grants. The CWS response will complement these efforts.

Fourteen villages in Maubin Township were already part of CWS community development programs when flooding began to affect them last month. More than 800 families in those communities have been affected. Many have fled to the local monastery or nearby river banks for higher ground and have set up temporary shelter. All need food and safe drinking water immediately.

CWS has begun to meet immediate needs by providing rice to about 1,000 people. CWS staff will track the situation in the coming weeks and will be ready to provide aid if the situation worsens and resources are available to do so.

How to Help

Financial contributions to support CWS emergency response efforts may be made online or may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.

Church World Service is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy.