International aid needed to assist response
Both the military regime in Naypyidaw and the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile have requested international aid to the over 200,000 citizens impacted by flooding and landslides. Over 300 people have been killed since the remnants of Typhoon Yagi arrived in Burma on Sept. 9.
“Given the nature of this disaster, our minister will be requesting international organizations to provide as much assistance as possible, which should not face the same challenges as aid for internally displaced persons,” Win Myat Aye, the NUG Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, told DVB.
The NUG claimed that it is coordinating with groups on-the-ground in order to deliver aid to flood victims. Regime media reported on Monday that a total of 113 people have been killed and 120 are still missing. Min Aung Hlaing reportedly asked regime officials to request humanitarian aid deliveries from foreign countries.
Regime accuses media of not reporting military relief efforts
Regime spokesperson Zaw Min Tun accused independent media of ignoring the military’s relief efforts and claimed that it has assisted over 320,000 people displaced from their homes to be evacuated to temporary relief centers.
Zaw Min Tun also accused members of the diaspora of spreading misinformation in order to cause panic. “They create rumors to make people more worried. We need to demonstrate our collective strength while facing natural disasters,” he said during an interview with regime media on Monday.
Regime media reported on Saturday that five dams, four pagodas, and more than 65,000 houses were destroyed by flooding. Search and rescue operations to find the 120 people still missing are underway. Heavy rains have caused flooding in at least 58 of the 330 townships since Sept. 9.
India steps up for countries impacted by Typhoon Yagi
India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday that New Delhi has delivered humanitarian aid to Burma, Laos, and Vietnam after the three countries were impacted by flooding and landslides. The Indian Navy delivered ten tons of supplies, including dry rations, clothing, and medicines, to Burma.
“Demonstrating our solidarity with the people affected by Typhoon Yagi, India is dispatching aid to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos,” Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, posted on social media. He referred to India’s delivery as “Operation Sadbhav.”
Thirty-five tons of aid was sent to Vietnam by air, while 10 tons of supplies arrived in Laos. Indian media reported that the assistance is a part of New Delhi’s wider diplomatic efforts to deliver disaster relief to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.
News by Region
SHAN—More than 6,000 villagers living around the tourist hotspot Inle Lake in Nyaungshwe Township, located in southern Shan State, are in need of humanitarian assistance due to flooding since Sept. 9.
“Tourism has stopped and agricultural farms have been flooded. It is the largest [flooding] in Inle in the past 20 years,” said a Nyaungshwe resident. Inle Lake is the second largest lake in Burma. All telecommunication services are currently unavailable in the township.
ARAKAN—Sittwe Township residents reported that the military arrested more than 70 people, including women and children, during household inspections in three neighborhoods of the Arakan State capital on Friday.
“They still have not been released,” a Sittwe resident told DVB. Sources close to the regime said that nearly 1,000 people have been arrested since November and 600 of them have faced charges, including under the Unlawful Associations Act. Residents have claimed that soldiers are demanding bribes in exchange for their release.
CHINLAND—A faction of the Chin resistance to the 2021 military coup, known as the Chin Brotherhood, accused the Chin National Army (CNA/CNF) and its Chinland Council forces of coordinating attacks with the military against it during fighting in Matupi Township, located in southern Chinland, in June.
“They coordinated with the [military] in order to drop bombs with drones and to do artillery strikes on [our] troops,” said Salai Yaw Mang, the Chin Brotherhood spokesperson. A source close to the CNA denied these accusations to DVB. The Chin Brotherhood was established in 2023 after it accused the Chinland Constitution of “not adhering to democratic standards”.
MANDALAY—The Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MPDF) claimed that it has been monitoring the water levels of the Setawgyi dam in Madaya Township, located around 24 miles (39 km) north of Mandalay, in order to protect residents from possible flooding.
“It is still operating safely,” an MPDF spokesperson told DVB. The water levels of the dam were measured at 385 feet (117 m), which is under its maximum levels of 420 feet (128 m). The dam occupies an area of 363,000 acres (1,452 square km) and has seven drainage holes. The MPDF seized control of Setawgyi in June.
Read: A naïve dream or daring attempt? A Myanmar feminist podcast by Nyein Chan May.
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