Cyclone-damaged Angumaw Jetty in urgent need of repair

By Admin 22 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
22 July 2023, Rathedaung

Residents say that they are facing difficulties travelling as the storm-damaged Angumaw Jetty in the Mayu River in Rathedaung Township, which is used by residents from four townships in Arakan State, has not yet been repaired.

The Angumaw Jetty is mainly used by locals from Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Sittwe townships.

The jetty, which was damaged by Cyclone Mocha, has not yet been repaired by the junta, and residents are demanding that it be repaired as soon as possible.

“As the jetty is damaged, pregnant women, children, the elderly and cargo workers are in a very dangerous situation. So I want this jetty to be repaired as soon as possible,” said Ko Yan Myo Aung, a local man from Donpaik Village in Rathedaung Township.

“This jetty was damaged by the storm, so it is dangerous for local people to use. This jetty is not very dangerous when the sun is hot, but when it rains, it is quite dangerous if we go with our children,” said Ko Kyaw Hsan, a resident of Maungdaw.

The Angumaw Jetty is 45 feet long and 30.5 feet. wide, and the facility was jointly built by Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in 2005.

Rathedaung Township Administrator U Naing Lin Htet said the international organisation that built the Angumaw Jetty has been contacted and there is a plan to repair it.

“We have already contacted the donor organisations and have a plan to repair the Angumaw Jetty. If the donor organisations do not repair the Angumaw Jetty, it will be repaired by the government. We asked the opinion of the original builders as a priority,” he added.

According to the township administrator, Angumaw Jetty was not included in the junta’s storm damage list because it was built by an international organisation.

The Rathedaung Township Municipal Development Committee collects licence and port fees for ferryboats and vehicles plying at Angumaw Jetty.

A social activist from Maungdaw Township said the junta is responsible for not repairing the damaged Angumaw Jetty for more than two months after the storm.

“Regardless of which organisation built this bridge, it is up to the government to repair it. This jetty can only be used after obtaining government approval. The ferryboats and vehicles docked at that port have to pay taxes, and those taxes are only taken by the government,” he added.

More than 1.5 million people were affected by Cyclone Mocha, and more than 24,000 buildings were damaged in Arakan State. At least 148 people and over 27,000 farm animals died in the storm, with financial losses totalling over 4.8 billion kyats, according to the Arakan State Administration Council.