Local residents said that, particularly in April this year, the lake has lost a lot of water and the reduced water level has affected the transportation of goods and people by boat and the agricultural sector.

Inle Lake

A shop owner from Phaung-Daw-Oo Pagoda said: “This year’s drought is more serious than previous years, the water level has decreased too much. However there are more visitors from outside Burma coming and we have made more sales, but our agricultural businesses face a water shortage.”

At Phaung-Daw-Oo Pagoda, which is the area on the lake that receives the most tourists, silt can be seen and motorboats cannot pass anymore according to motorboat pilots.

Shore of Inle lake

Maung Tar a motorboat pilot said: “Many visitors have come this year and because the water level is very low they are facing a difficult situation when they get on and off boats at docks.”

Ko Tun Shwe, a resident from Tar-Lay village said that one of the main causes of the decreasing water level in Inle Lake is the hotel zone.

He said: “The main cause of the drought at Inle lake is because the mountains nearby are empty of trees. This year we have not yet had enough rain. People do not practice terrace farming anymore and silt from the hotel zone has entered into the lake. On one hand this is development, on the other hand it is also deterioration.

“We know that the government have put a budget aside to preserve Inle lake and foreigners have to pay USD $5 when they come and visit. But, it is impossible to expect government departments alone [to save Inle Lake]. We, Inle residents, want to cooperate with the government departments’ staff [to preserve the lake], because we love the lake more than them.”

Inle Lake

According to local residents, people who grow rice, chilies, gourds, eggplants (aubergines) and cabbages in the area have been affected by the drought, which will lead to reduced agricultural production in the area.

Ma Zin Mar Oo, a farmer in the area said: “More dams should be constructed. Currently, we have only three dams in the Inle area. We must have a praying ceremony for more rainfall and grow more trees. If there is no water in the lake we Innthars [a Bamar population from around Inle Lake] will die out.”

Ma May Hnin, a Yangon resident currently visiting the Inle area said: “It is totally different this year to two years ago. Then, the surface of Inle Lake was a beautiful blue colour, but this year it has changed to a red colour. I have never seen this kind of drought at Inle Lake. When you look at the number of foreigners visiting every day you can see how much income is coming from Inle and how it is feeding [supporting] the country. The authorities should not neglect Inle Lake because it is world famous.”

There are 444 villages in 43 districts in the Inle area. Droughts have occurred around the lake during April at several places including Phaung-Daw-Oo Pagoda, Nampan, Tadaroo, Yoarma, and Alo-Daw-Pauk areas.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI