Hundreds of IDPs evacuated as flooding plagues Chin State’s Paletwa

By Admin 08 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
8 August 2023, Paletwa, Chin State

A camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) near the office for the Department of Agriculture in Paletwa, Chin State, is flooded due to continuous rain and the rise of the Kaladan River’s waters, according to local residents.

It has been raining heavily in the Paletwa area since August 1, and the water level of the Kaladan River rose alarmingly on Monday. More than 530 IDPs taking shelter at the displacement camp have been temporarily evacuated.

“About two-thirds of the displacement camp has already been submerged by floodwaters,” said U Maung Hla Win, an official from the displacement camp.

He added that due to floodwaters entering the displacement camp, personal belongings were seen floating around the settlement, with concerns growing that the entire IDP camp may be submerged if the water level rises further.

IDPs are currently taking refuge at a traditional clinic in downtown Paletwa and some IDPs have set up makeshift tents to live in.

“If the water does not recede, we will face livelihood hardships,” said Daw Khaing Shwe Wah, an IDP woman from the displacement camp.

Hundreds of IDPs from the displacement camp are residents of Ahtet Meewa, Hnamadar, Thayettaung, Kaythet, Laythet and Yokewa villages displaced by fighting between the military and Arakan Army in 2019.

The Kaladan River’s water level has risen about 3 feet near Paletwa’s Myoma and Thayarwa wards, which are low-lying areas.

“The water came in from the back of my home. The current is very strong, eroding some embankments,” said Daw Hla Than May, a local woman from Myoma Ward.

Locals are worried about their safety as some homes and buildings were damaged due to landslides in Myoma Ward on August 7.

According to a Department of Meteorology and Hydrology statement on August 7, the water level of the Kaladan River in Paletwa Township is at a critical level of 1,600 centimetres.