At least three people have been injured and more than 120 homes damaged or destroyed after powerful winds and tornadoes ripped through the Yangon and Bago regions, as well as Arakan State, on Sunday.
The extreme weather has displaced hundreds of residents, forcing them to seek emergency shelter in local schools, monasteries, or with relatives, according to rescue workers and residents.
The severe weather struck multiple regions on July 5 leaving a trail of destruction:
- Arakan State: In Thandwe Township’s Pain Taung Gyi village—located roughly 120 miles south of the state capital, Sittwe—a powerful tornado completely destroyed 45 homes. The disaster has left approximately 200 residents in urgent need of shelter. One villager described the experience as “terrifying,” noting they had never witnessed a storm of that magnitude before.
- Bago Region: A tornado tore through Nattalin Township–located 137 miles north of the region’s capital Bago–injuring two residents when their home collapsed. Sixty other homes in the area sustained severe damage.
- Yangon Region: Heavy rain and gale-force winds caused 16 homes to collapse across Kawhmu, Thongwa, and Taikkyi townships. In Mingaladon Township, a local man was injured by a falling tree.
Rescue efforts
The Myanmar Fire Services Department confirmed that emergency rescue operations were launched immediately in the affected areas. Officials noted that the high rate of destruction was largely due to the vulnerability of local building materials, as many of the collapsed structures were traditional homes constructed from wood, bamboo, and thatch.
Comprehensive damage assessments are currently underway but face significant delays. Damaged power lines and fallen telecommunications towers have caused widespread communication disruptions, hampering efforts to reach and evaluate the hardest-hit communities.
A monsoon warning
The disaster comes as monsoon conditions intensify across the country. The regime’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology issued a severe weather warning spanning July 4-7.
Meteorologists have warned of continued risks of heavy rainfall, flash floods, landslides, and strong winds. Coastal and low-lying areas face the highest risk of further disruptions as the week progresses.
