#Myanmar (Burma) Over 4,000 ethnic Rakhine flee fighting.

Staff members of the United Nations and international non-governmental organisations prepare to depart Sittwe airport on August 28 in the wake of last Friday’s terrorist attacks. 

 Over 4000 ethnic Rakhine have fled their villages as fighting between terrorists and the Tatmadaw escalated during the past three days, a Rakhine State official said Monday. 

Minister for Social Welfare and Resettlement Win Myat Aye and Rakhine officials provided aid to the beleaguered villagers and helped in their evacuation.

Minister Win Myat Aye and senior Rakhine officials visited some of the villages that were badly damaged by the fighting, including the Taung Bazar village, where some 100 suspected terrorists launched an attack on August 26. 

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 The minister told The Myanmar Times that thousands of ethnic Rakhine were fleeing their homes to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

“We only visited a few villages, so maybe in other villages more people have fled their homes,” he said. “We are not sure if the number of evacuees has doubled but there is already a list of evacuees.”

The Rakhine State information department said the ministers went to at least five villages in two days and provided necessary assistance and medical kits for fleeing ethnic people. Many people are fleeing to Sittwe, Rathidaung and Ponnagyun, which are safe places from terrorist attacks.

Minister Win Myat Aye said they have enough provisions to support some 24,000 evacuees for two months.

“We discussed with security forces the safety of all ethnic people and we are satisfied with security conditions we have seen on the ground,” he said.

According to the administrative department of Maungdaw township, the police outposts and stations in Maungdaw were attacked by terrorists before dawn on August 25 and clashes have continued between the terrorist group and security forces since then. Security forces were also conducting clearing operations in some villages. 

U Kyaw Kyaw Oo, deputy officer  of Maungdaw’s administrative department, told The Myanmar Times many people are fleeing and some are settling in safer areas.
“In the past two days we recorded 5000 evacuees,” he said. 

According to refugees living in the makeshift camps in Bangladesh, at least 2000 people have crossed into Bangladesh since Friday.

Source - MyanmarTimes

#Myanmar (Burma) - Over 200,000 people displaced by floods

 

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Over 200,000 people were displaced in floods brought about by monsoon rains in various parts of the country, the rescue and resettlement department said Thursday.

The agency said that from July 1 to August 10, a total of 208,450 people from 51,774 households have fled their homes due to floods.

Among the areas badly hit by flood were parts Sagaing Region, Magwe Region, Chin State, Bago Region, Kayin State, Ayeyarwady Region, Mon State, Nay Pyi Taw, Rakhine State, Shan State and Tanintharyi Region.

Rescue camps in Sagaing Region, Magwe Region, Kayin State, Nay Pyi Taw, Rakhine State, Yangon Region and Tanintharyi Region were closed on Aug 10, but some 69,697 evacuees remained in the camps as of August 10.

Dr. Kyaw Moe Oo, meteorology and hydrology department deputy director, warned people – especially those living near river banks – to be always especially when there is heavy rains.

“If river level rises again and it rains more, there will be floods again. But it cannot be as bad as in 2015,” he said, adding that rain is normal this year.

“In 2015 but monsoon was strong and there were storms. Therefore, conditions were worse. Currently, depressions are mainly formed in the internal areas of India and Bangladesh,” he said.

The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said that at this time the Chindwin river level can rise again and it can reach up to danger level mark in Hkamti and Homalin and there might be more rains in upper Sagaing Region, Kachin State and Rakhine State within next two days.

Source - mmtimes