Nearly 170 people were left homeless when a whirlwind wreaked havoc in their village in Arakan State’s Minbya Township on Thursday.

Maung Phyu, the administrator of Minbya’s Kyaukhoke village, said the whirlwind struck the village yesterday afternoon, destroying 36 homes.

“The whirlwind struck around 12:30pm – it was very scary,” he said. “In total, 169 people were left homeless.”

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He said an 11-year-old girl was seriously injured in the storm, and that victims are currently being provided shelter in the village’s high school and monastery. He added that fellow villagers had banded together to provide food for those affected.

Thein Zan, an influential figure in Minbya, said, “The village suffered extensive damage. We have informed the government authorities. At the moment, we are working with relief groups and civil society organisations in Minbya to provide relief to the victims.”

Hla Thein Aung, the lower house MP for Minbya, said he had reached out to government authorities urging disaster relief. He confirmed that Minbya’s Health Department staff are at the scene providing medical assistance.