More Than 32,000 Affected by Ngawun Embankment Damage as Relief Efforts Continue

More than 32,000 people have been affected by flooding caused by damage to the Ngawun River embankment in Laymyethna Township, Ayeyawady Region, with authorities continuing to provide food supplies and healthcare services to flood victims, according to Presidential Office spokesperson Dr Khine Khine Soe.

In a post on her Telegram account, Dr Khine Khine Soe said that, as of the evening of 4 August, flooding had affected five wards, 106 villages, 7,734 houses, 7,858 households and a total of 32,607 people.

She said relief efforts are ongoing, including the distribution of rice and other essential food supplies, as well as healthcare services for those affected.

Authorities are also carrying out emergency works to prevent further flooding. These include driving wooden piles along both sides of the embankment to reduce erosion, monitoring water depth and flow to facilitate the closure of the breach, and installing additional guide piles to control the watercourse.

According to measurements taken at 6 p.m. on 4 August, the water level of the Ngawun River at Laymyethna had fallen by about 2.5 inches, she added.

Dr Khine Khine Soe also said that, by 4 August, a total of 1,088 gallons of petrol and 402.5 gallons of diesel had been distributed free of charge to support rescue operations.

To maintain communications in the disaster-affected area, Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) has deployed four communication units, including a mobile vehicle equipped with a B2B satellite terminal, to ensure network connectivity.