Severe floods around the remote capital Naypyidaw in Myanmar forced hundreds of villagers to wade or swim through chin-high waters. Meanwhile, Vietnam began clearing up after Typhoon Yagi, which caused floods and landslides in a swathe of countries including Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. The death toll across the four countries stands at 280, with many still missing.
The national fire service in Myanmar confirmed a new death toll of 36, up from 17, and more than 50,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. Villagers in Sin Thay village described walking through neck-high water, with some saying they had not had food for about three days. Soldiers were seen rescuing residents from flooded villages in the complex network of rivers and creeks surrounding Naypyidaw.
Houses, banana plantations, and sugarcane fields were all submerged, with state media reporting landslides and destruction of infrastructure in the area. In the Mandalay region, some villagers rode elephants to reach dry land, highlighting the severity of the flooding. One man near Sin Thay village mentioned that it was the first time he had experienced such a flood and expressed the fear and lack of preparation for the disaster.
The situation in Myanmar is part of the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, which brought heavy rain and widespread flooding to the region. The overall death toll in the affected countries is expected to rise, with hundreds of people missing. This disaster serves as a reminder of the impact of extreme weather events on vulnerable communities and the need for preparedness and response measures to mitigate the effects of such emergencies. The resilience of villagers and the efforts of soldiers and rescue teams in assisting those affected by the floods demonstrate the importance of community support and solidarity during times of crisis.
