The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has urgently called for food and essential aid to support those affected by severe flooding in Mon State.
Over 100 villages across the townships of Ye, Thanbyuzayat, Kyaikto, Bilin, Kyaikmaraw, and Thaton in Mon State have been inundated by the floods.
HURFOM Program Director Nai Aue Mon said: "Of the more than 100 villages that were flooded, floodwaters have now receded in around 30 to 40 of them. However, the damage has been extensive, with significant losses of food supplies and many homes left uninhabitable. There is no guarantee that the water levels will not rise again.”
The flooding has left tens of thousands of villagers facing acute food shortages. Even in areas where the water has receded, the need for additional humanitarian aid remains critical. Nai Aue Mon said that even though flood waters had receded in 30 villages by 31 July, there is still a significant demand for food.
Mon State experiences annual flooding during the monsoon season due to its topography. It is being made worse by the gradual silting up of the rivers and extensive deforestation.
Nai Aue Mon also pointed out that some of the villages hit hardest by this year's floods are also having to simultaneously cope with ongoing fighting.
"Some villages already struggling with the impacts of war and airstrikes have been severely affected by the flash floods. For instance, several submerged villages in the eastern part of Kyaikmaraw Township are facing both war and flooding simultaneously. Three years after the coup, many areas in Mon State, including Ye, Bilin, and Kyaikto townships, have become conflict zones. The combination of war and a natural disaster has significantly increased the hardships faced by local people”, he said.
At least two people, one of whom was a child, have been killed by the flooding. It has also caused extensive damage across the region.
The increase in commodity prices and disruptions in the flow of goods, which have been exacerbated by the coup, have hindered aid organisations' ability to procure and distribute necessary materials to the flood-affected areas.
People affected by the flooding in Mon State have said that they have an urgent need for food, immediate shelter and medical supplies.
