Three people, including a child, died of diarrhea in Sompraburm town, northern Kachin State where people have been facing acute shortage of potable water.

Water cannot be stored in the dam, which has been used to distribute water to locals, because of lack of water resources in the area. Even though the army, police and civil servants are still receiving enough water from a mountain stream located over a mile from the town through a water pipeline, over 10,000 locals are only dependent on rain water, said a Sompraburm local.

"Water is insufficient compared to last year. A mountain stream has also dried up. It cannot fill water in the water storage pool. The water pipes are very dirty and rusted. Some of them had to be removed. They mainly distribute water to civil departments. We have to collect rain water for our daily use. People have been suffering from diarrhea because of unhygienic drinking water."

Three people, including a child, died of diarrhea. The 50-bed Sompraburm hospital is full of patients, who have come for treatment. The hospital does not have enough place for patients, said a local.

"Doctors and nurses are into a campaign asking people to use fly-safety-rest room and use enough water. Even though they talk about using enough water for the rest room, we have limited water for drinking and cooking," the local added.

Local authorities have ignored the water shortage problem in the area. If the northern military command commander arrives in Somproburm town, local authorities will try to meet him and city elders will try to request him to help solve the water shortage problem. Water shortage began since last summer, said the local.