Some storm-hit villages receive few sacks of rice

By Admin 30 May 2023

DMG Newsroom
30 May 2023, Sittwe

Some of the storm-hit villages in Arakan State have only received two sacks of rice and some cloth storage boxes for the entire village provided by the Myanmar military regime, according to local residents.

Gawyawmani village in Kyauktaw which has over 140 households has only received two sacks of rice and two cloth storage boxes from the regime, said U Aye Kyaw, who is in charge of the village.

“We only got two sacks of rice from the government [regime].  It is not enough for the entire village, we gave around eight cans of rice per household for poor families,” said U Aye Kyaw.

Letkokepinyin village in Kyauktaw only received two sacks of rice and four cloth storage boxes, said villagers. Around 200 houses out of 220 houses in Letkokepinyin village were damaged or destroyed by the storm.

“We have not received any roofing material yet. We have given around 12 cans of rice per household to poor families. We have not yet distributed storage boxes because we are expecting more to come. We will distribute them when more storage boxes arrive,” said administrative clerk Ko Nyein Aung of the village.

In Zinkharshae village in Kyauktaw, around 330 houses out of some 360 houses were damaged or destroyed. The village has only received four sacks of rice and eight cloth storage boxes, said village administrator.

“No house in my village has been repaired yet because we have not yet received any building material. We have only got four sacks of rice and eight storage boxes, which are not enough for us,” said administrator U Shwe Hla Maung.

Some 90 percent of houses were destroyed or damaged in those three villages. Village administration bodies said rice and storage boxes were delivered two days after the list of villagers who need food were submitted to the township general administration department.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Kyauktaw Township administrator U Kyaw Zaw Nyunt about the villagers’ claim that supplies provided by the regime are not sufficient for villagers.

DMG was also unable to reach Arakan State Administration Council spokesman U Hla Thein for comment.

According to the Arakan State Administration Council, 148 people were killed by the cyclone, which affected 1.1 million people and inflicted financial loss of over 4.6 billion kyats.