Torrential rain falling on Inle lake in Nyaungshwe Township, southern Shan State has led to flash floods that have affected over a third of the villages around the lake.
There are 446 villages in the area of Inle Lake, of those, more than 170 have been severely affected by flooding.
An aid worker helping out flood-affected residents at Inle Lake said: "There are 446 villages in the Inle Lake region. All villages around the lake, except those on elevated areas, are facing severe flooding. Many houses are submerged, with villages in the southern part of the lake experiencing floods up to their roofs. Flood-ridden residents are temporarily relocating to safe highland villages and monasteries.”
Talking of the flooding a resident from one of the villages around the lake said: "All the one-story houses are completely underwater, and the ground floors of two-story houses are flooded. The lower floors of monasteries are also submerged, forcing people to gather and take shelter on the upper floors.”
There has been almost daily torrential rain over Inle Lake since the end of August. It significantly raised water levels in the lake and led to flood waters entering villages around the lake from 11 September.
An aid worker from the Inle Lake region said to Mizzima: "Due to the heavy rains triggered by the storm, a large amount of rainwater flowed into Inle Lake, causing flooding. Flood water from other townships in southern Shan State, like Kalaw and Aungpan, also drained into Inle Lake. We've also heard that Kyaysi Lake and Konehlaing Lake in Taunggyi Township are flooded.”
Residents who were driven from their homes by the flooding have been temporarily sheltering in downtown Nyaungshwe Town and in nearby villages on higher land. They are in urgent need of food and drinking water, according to aid workers.
To make matters worse there are no lines of communication with some of the villages around the lake due to damage to mobile and internet networks.
On 13 September, 10 people were swept away by floodwaters from villages on the lake. Two people were rescued, two bodies were found and the remaining six people are still missing.
A further four people were also killed by flooding around Shwe Indein Pagoda, in Indein Village, on the western shore of Inle Lake.
Inle Lake is fed by 19 rivers, streams, and tributaries, but has only one outlet at the Mobye (Mongpai) Dam. As a result, flood-affected residents may face a wait of several months for the water to recede, according to those assisting them.
Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia so far this year, made landfall in northern Vietnam on 7 September 2024. On 8 September it was downgraded to a tropical depression before first hitting eastern and central regions of Myanmar on 10 September as heavy rainfall. It caused heavy flooding in Shan and Kayah (Karenni) states and Naypyidaw.
