Embassy provides financial support to 8 flood-affected Arakanese villages

Maung Sar Ga, Narinjara News, 22 August 2024

An embassy of western nations in Yangon has provided financial support to eight flood-affected villages in Mrauk-U township of  Arakan State.

The beneficiary villages include  Launggyet Taung Maw, Myaung Bway Gyi, Myaung Bway Nge, Na Din, Pan Hpe Yat, Let Kar, Ma Kyar Se and Auk Thar Kan.

Each household of the villages has received Kyats 104,000 through a social organization which does not want to be named due to security reasons.

The local residents informed that the organization visited the affected villages in the last few days and worked with the village administrative officials and volunteers to materialise the initiative.

"They provided support in cash to the villagers on 17 August. They mentioned that a western embassy provided the assistance," said an administrative official from Launggyet Taung Maw village.

 He also noted that more than Kyats 27 million were allocated for 266 flood-affected families in Launggyet Taung Maw village.

"In Mrauk-U, they provided support to eight villages. We don’t know about the others," said a villager from Launggyet Taung Maw.

Many other villages under Mrauk-U township were affected by the last wave of floods and the villagers are struggling to survive.

U Maung Maung Soe, the administrator of Si Thel village under Mrauk-U, said that some houses in his village collapsed and their belongings were damaged.

“We haven't received any support from any organization so far. It will be helpful if we too get some assistance,” added the administrator.

 Out of 170 families in Si Thel village, 13 family-houses were washed away by the flood water from Lemro river. At least 11 houses collapsed there and nearly 160 acres of newly planted rice fields were damaged by the flood water.

Kyauktaw, Minbya, Taungup, Thandwe, Gwa and Mrauk-U townships of Arakan State were severely affected by the latest wave of floods in late July and early August.

Narinjara News reached out to various social organization officials to inquire whether the embassy extended similar support to other townships beyond Mrauk-U. But contacts could not be established due to technical reasons.

Across the Arakan region, many homes were destroyed and a number of wells, ponds and a large area of crop land were devasted by the flood water and mud.

Some casualties are also reported in Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships.

Photograph: On 17 August, embassy support was distributed among Launggyet Taung Maw villagers. Photo - CJ