In Rakhine State, the Mocha Cyclone has caused significant damage to numerous dams and dykes in five townships. Local farmers have expressed concerns that if these dams and dykes are not repaired promptly before the onset of heavy rains, tens of thousands of acres of rain-fed rice crops could be at risk of being lost.
U Maung Than Tin, a farmer from Ywar Chaung Gyi Village, Pauktaw Township, said, "The people of Nan Tat Kyun stopped doing repairs due to inconvenience. They are unable to plant rice as the repairs have been delayed and are now out of time. The damages they have suffered are significant.”
Cyclone Mocha caused extensive damage to dams and dykes in Pauktaw Township, including the towns of Myebon, Mrauk U, Rathedaung, Maungdaw, and nearby coastal areas.
Local farmers have reported that numerous dams and dykes in Pauktaw Township, including Nan Tat Kyun, Taung Hpu, Ywar Chaung Gyi, Tha Win Chaung, and Ah Wa Kan, along with several others, have suffered severe damage.
Currently, the government has yet to initiate the repairs for the damaged dams and dykes in Pauktaw Township.
According to U Maung Than Tin, a farmer from Ywar Chaung Gyi Village, Pauktaw Township, the residents are repairing the dykes that have damaged a few acres using their own plans. However, the dykes that have damaged many acres have not been repaired yet, resulting in the inability to plant rain-fed rice during the current rainy rice planting season.
"if we rely on the government to do the repairs, it would take a significant amount of time. In Ywar Chaung Gyi, we worked day and night with our families to repair the dykes," he added.
The residents of Ywar Chaung Gyi, Let Ma Yar, Swun Ye villages in Pauktaw Township, as well as Ward No. 3 and No. 4 of Pauktaw Township, are reported to rely on the Ywar Chaung Gyi dyke for their livelihoods.
Local farmers in Rathedaung Township have reported severe damage to dams and dykes, including Kyee Kyun, Auk Kyaung Taung, Pan Zin Maw, and Zee Kine.
U Maung Tin Win, a farmer from Zee Kine village, shared that the Mocha cyclone caused extensive damage, destroying more than 300 acres of land. He highlighted the delay in government assessment and repair planning, which led local farmers to collaborate and independently repair partially damaged areas.
"To preserve our livelihoods, we used our own funds to finance the repairs,” he said.
On May 28, it was reported in a newspaper owned by the Military Council that due to the Mocha cyclone, several saltwater barrier dykes in Rakhine State were impacted. Among the 32 dykes maintained by the Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department, Chan Pyin dyke in Maungdaw Township, Kular Pone Kyun Pat dyke in Mrauk U Township, and Nga Man Ye Kyun dyke in Myebon Township (Sections 1 and 2) suffered damage due to overflow erosion. An announcement was made on June 3 that repairs are currently underway, with the goal of achieving 100% completion.
Local farmers reported that about 4,000 acres of rice were destroyed in Section 1 of the Nga Man Ye Kyun dyke in Myebon Township, and about 3,000 acres of rice in Section 2.
U Tun Tun Win, a farmer from Lun Lone Pike Village, whose rice fields were destroyed in more than 1,400 acres, said, "All the acres that can be planted with rice have been flooded with salt water. The irrigation department has provided repairs, so farmers are able to grow rice regularly again."
Local farmers in Myebon Township's Nga Man Ye Kyun dyke Section 1 are engaged in farming in the villages of Nga Khu Chaung, Wat Gaung Gyi, Pyin Chaung, Nga Man Ye, and Lun Lone Pike. In Section (2), farmers in the villages of Twin Nga Khu Chaung, Tin Ga Net, and Ah Lel Kyun are also engaged in farming.
Rain-fed rice is grown in these dykes during the rainy season, and saltwater shrimp are raised in the summer.
Cyclone Mocha passed near Sittwe, Rakhine, on May 14.
The Military Council announced that Cyclone Mocha has killed 148 people in Rakhine, killed tens of thousands of cattle, and damaged many dams and dykes.
