Dozens of homes swept away as erosion takes toll on riverbanks in Thandwe, Taungup

By Admin 08 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
8 August 2023, Thandwe

About 80 houses along the shoreline in Arakan State’s Thandwe and Taungup townships were swept away recently after heavy rains and strong winds led to the erosion of riverbanks in the area.

Fifty-seven houses were lost in Kalaryaung Village, Taungup Township, said residents.

“The wind was extremely strong, and the tide was high as if it were a storm. Our house was damaged by Cyclone Mocha, but we still had land. We have nothing left now,” said Daw Ma Phyu from Kalaryaung Village.

The local river has swallowed more than 20 houses in Thandwe Township’s Sinkhaung Village since August 1, according to residents.

Most of the houses were made with wood, thatch and bamboo matting. Residents who have lost their houses are staying at their relatives’ homes, said 100-household administrator U Tin Htay of Sinkhaung Village.

Villagers are concerned that the more houses will be lost to bank erosion.

Ko Nyi Nyi Lwin from Kalaryaung Village said: “As the water level rises, the waves become bigger and stronger. If the water level continues to rise, we may lose the entire village.”

The township General Administration Department has compiled a list of people who have lost their houses, reportedly to arrange accommodation for them, said residents of Kalaryaung Village.

According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, occasional squalls are expected along and off the coast of Arakan State, with wind speeds reaching up to 40 hours per mile.