Despite progress restoring telecoms infrastructure, communications still down in parts of Arakan State

By Admin 14 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
14 June 2023, Sittwe

More than 800 of some 900 communications base stations damaged by Cyclone Mocha in Arakan State have been repaired so far, according to Myanmar’s military regime.

There are 1,233 communications base stations operated by four telecommunications providers in Arakan State. A total of 904 of them were affected by the storm, seriously disrupting communications in the area, according to the June 14 issues of junta-controlled newspapers.

But 98 percent of the damaged stations have now resumed operations, director-general U Thint Myat Thu of the junta’s Transportation and Communications Ministry was quoted as saying by junta-controlled newspapers.

“874 out of 904 cellular stations are back in service. And we are working to fix the remaining 30 as quickly as possible,” said U Thint Myat Thu.

With communications infrastructure damaged in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, the flow of information to local residents in Arakan State was severely disrupted.

Phone and internet access has been restored in the Tawpyarchaung area of Ponnagyun Township, said Ko Aung Kyaw Soe, information officer of the Poeshuepyin charity.

“It has been around 10 days since phone and internet access was restored in our area. When communications were down, we had to go to Ponnagyun town to make phone calls. We had difficulties running our charity then,” he said.

Communications remain down, however, for some storm-hit rural villages, according to affected residents. Locals in Zeditaung Village are among those who still find their access to information limited.

“We have lost access to phones and the internet since the storm. We can only make phone calls in certain places in the village. And we have to go out of the village to use the internet,” said Ko Aung Nyein Naing from Zeditaung Village.

Communications are still down in at least seven other villages in Rathedaung Township, according to locals.

“MPT services are still down,” said teacher U Nay Zaw Oo of Ywa Thit Kay Village, referring to the state-owned Myanma Posts and Telecommunications. “We can’t use either phone or internet with MPT SIMs. And we only have limited access with Mytel and ATOM SIMs. So, we have difficulties communicating with others to get information, and for health and education services.”

A total of 422 staff including employees of telecoms operators are working to repair the storm-hit communications networks, junta-controlled newspapers reported on Wednesday.