Maungdaw, Arakan State: Many areas under Maungdaw Township and Buthidaung Township of northern Arakan are inundated after heavy rainfall yesterday night, said a source from Maungdaw.
People from Maungdaw municipal areas were shifted to the high school and middle school, the source said.
“Only the main road, market and Maungdaw big mosque were not flooded. But, numbers two, four, five quarters of Maungdaw and surrounding villages of Maungdaw were inundated by heavy rainfall,” said a school teacher from Maungdaw.
In the rural areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung people moved to high ground, the teacher said.
The townships are under water and people are unable to move from their village, said a student from Maungdaw south.
27 people died in Buthidaung Township and 10 people from Maungdaw north and the general hospital also under water, so people are not able to get medical facility, said a village authority.
“Last year also there was rainfall like this, but there was no inundation. May be the water could not flow to the river and sea as the authorities built embankments along the riverbank for erecting fences,” said an elder from Maungdaw.
People in the ground floor had to contend with water seeping in and shifted to the upper floors sharing space with other families. “How long can we stay with other families? asked a housewife.
“There was no help for the flooded areas,” the elder said.
“If the water does not go down there will be more difficulties for people in terms of health, food and water,” the elder added.
“If there is no the fence embankment, not flooding; it is just the beginning of the monsoon. If the floods continue what will be happen to Maungdaw?” asked a daily labour from Maungdaw.
After heavy rainfall, Maungdaw-Buthidaung road is blocked for landslide of mountain near six mile bridge. Maungdaw and Burmese border security (Nasaka) headquarter are also cutoff for damaging bridge near three mile Pagoda.
On the other hand, in the border areas, at least 24 people were killed and seven army personnel went missing late on Monday night and early Tuesday in landslides triggered by heavy rain in Cox’s Bazaar and Bandarban districts.
