The junta in Myanmar is facing a growing crisis as the death toll from recent floods has risen to 33, with over 235,000 people displaced. The capital Naypyidaw and surrounding areas have seen swathes of farmland inundated by rising waters. Landslides have also been reported in hilly areas, complicating relief efforts due to damaged infrastructure and communication lines.
The Sittaung and Bago rivers, which flow through central and southern Myanmar, are still above dangerous levels, posing ongoing risks to communities in their path. State media has reported that water levels are expected to fall in the coming days. Relief camps have been set up to shelter those displaced by the floods, with 82 such camps in operation according to official sources.
Thailand’s weather office has warned of further heavy rain in provinces along the Mekong river, exacerbating the already dire situation in the region. The floods have added to the challenges facing Myanmar, where over 2.7 million people are already displaced by conflict. In a rare move, the junta chief has requested foreign aid to help deal with the flooding, marking a departure from previous actions that have hindered international assistance efforts.
The military regime in Myanmar has often blocked or restricted humanitarian aid from abroad, including during previous natural disasters. Last year, travel authorizations for aid groups trying to reach victims of Cyclone Mocha were suspended by the government. At this time, it remains unclear how the international community will respond to the junta’s latest request for assistance, with organizations like the UN’s Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross withholding comment.
The increased intensity of monsoon rains and extreme weather events in Southeast Asia has been linked to human-made climate change, with typhoons forming closer to the coast, intensifying more rapidly, and lingering longer over land. A study published in July highlighted the role of climate change in creating conditions that make destructive floods more likely. As the region grapples with the immediate impacts of the current flooding crisis, the long-term effects of climate change on weather patterns and natural disasters remain a growing concern for vulnerable communities.
