Minbya Twsp flood victims struggle to rebuild homes

By Admin 01 Oct 2024

DMG Newsroom
1 October 2024, Minbya

Residents of Phone Thar Chaung village-tract in Arakan State’s Minbya Township who have lost their homes in flooding in the second week of September still can’t rebuild their homes, according to volunteers helping flood victims.

Around 200 houses across 13 villages in Phone Thar Chaung village-tract were destroyed by floodwaters. Residents are having financial difficulties rebuilding their homes.

“They can’t afford to rebuild their homes. Some are taking refuge in other people’s houses. Others have built temporary shelters with what was left of their houses and tarpaulin sheets,” said Ko Phyo Hein, a volunteer helping flood victims.

Residents have also lost rice stored for consumption, and are in need of food and clothes.

Located in a remote part of Minbya Township, residents of Phone Thar Chaung village-tract were hit badly by flooding as they were unable to make any preparations due to limited access to telecommunication services.

Some charities and individual donors have provided relief supplies for flood victims, but they need more assistance, said volunteers.

“They not only need shelter, but some children have nothing to wear because all their clothes were swept away by floods,” said a donor who went to Phone Thar Chaung village-tract to provide relief supplies. “They have received some rice that they can eat for now, but they have lost all the rice stored for consumption, so they are concerned that they will starve.”

Ethnic Chin people make up the majority in Phone Thar Chaung village-tract, and most are farmers.

Heavy rains triggered devastating floods in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun and Minbya townships last month.