Floods destroy hundreds of IDP shelters in Arakan State

By Admin 10 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
10 August 2023, Kyauktaw

At least 370 shelters in some camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships were destroyed by flooding triggered by continuous rains, according to displacement camp officials.

142 shelters at Nyaungchaung IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township, about 200 shelters at Tin Nyo IDP camp and 32 at Myatanzaung displacement camp in Mrauk-U Township were destroyed by the floods.

“The shelters are not strong enough to live in. The water fell for three days, so the ground sank and the houses collapsed. Then small bridges leading to the shelters were destroyed. Now that the water has receded, the shelters are being repaired,” said U Than Aye, manager of the Nyaungchaung IDP camp.

The Nyaungchaung IDP camp, home to 629 households and a population of 2,966 near Thayee Creek, a tributary of the Kaladan River, reported a rise of more than 6 feet. Damaged IDP shelters are being repaired and timber and bamboo are needed, said IDPs.

“IDP shelters were tilted and one side of the house wall was damaged. We need timber and bamboo to repair damaged IDP shelters and food supplies,” said Ko Kyaw Myint Chay, an IDP man from Tin Nyo displacement camp.

Mrauk-U’s Tin Nyo IDP camp is home to 783 households and a population of 2,862, and about 200 IDP shelters were damaged by the floods.

“We urgently need food supplies. We have to use cash assistance provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) following the storm to repay our debts. We face various hardships,” said Daw Thar Nu Phyu, an IDP woman from the Tin Nyo IDP camp.

Thirty-two IDP shelters at Mrauk-U’s Myatanzaung displacement camp were partially destroyed and nine IDP shelters were completely destroyed by the floods.

Tarpaulin sheets, timber and bamboo are needed to repair  the flood-hit IDP shelters, said U Nandatharra, abbot of the Myatanzaung Monastery.

“We need tarpaulin sheets; timber and bamboo are needed to repair IDP shelters damaged by the floods. IDPs affected by the floods are currently taking refuge at the monastery,” the abbot added.

The Myatanzaung displacement camp houses 1,175 IDPs from 243 households. At present, the water has receded, but the people whose houses are built on low-lying land are still unable to live there.

Nearly 7,000 people in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships have reportedly evacuated their homes temporarily due to continuous rains and high tides.

Hundreds of IDP shelters in Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Rathedaung and Buthidaung Townships were destroyed by Cyclone Mocha, which made landfall with destructive force on May 14.