In Myanmar, floods devastate communities

On 9 September 2024, severe flooding and mudslides caused by torrential monsoon rains and the remnants of Typhoon Yagi devastated 70 communities in 11 of Myanmar’s 14 states and regions.

The death toll has risen to 360, with 100 people reported missing and more than a million people affected. Damage included the destruction of essential infrastructure, including more than 65,000 homes, 1,500 schools, 200 roads and bridges and 80 telecommunications towers. Farmland and livestock are also heavily impacted, severely limiting the livelihoods of communities affected by the disaster.

A heavy toll in Kayin State

More than 30% of the surface area of this state in the east of the country, bordering Thailand, has been affected by these violent floods. An estimated 15,000 families have been displaced and 125,000 people affected. Around 35,000 people have been evacuated to temporary relief camps.

The floods have also submerged local infrastructure, disrupting water supply systems and increasing the risk of water-borne diseases. These overflows are considerably exacerbating pre-existing humanitarian problems, in particular difficulties in accessing primary healthcare.

Emergency response thanks yo rapid needs assessments 

Première Urgence Internationale has been working actively to assess the impact of the floods and identify priority needs for humanitarian assistance in the area. Three mobile clinics were deployed on 17 September to provide emergency health services. Thanks to their installation, more than 1,300 people were able to receive rapid assistance.

‘As a result of Première Urgence Internationale’s long presence in the country, we have acquired a good knowledge of the region, enabling us to better understand the local communities and establish strong links with them. Thanks to our experience in Kayin, we are in a position, with our NGO partners, to provide rapid support to the population affected by the floods’. (Head of the Première Urgence Internationale rapid needs assessment team)

The results of the assessments showed that more than 57,000 people are facing urgent needs in terms of health, food and water, sanitation and hygiene. Première Urgence Internationale has distributed:  

• Food kits to 1,440 families
• Hygiene kits to 324 families

As part of a consortium between three organizations, Humanity & Inclusion provided psychosocial support to 69 beneficiaries in Première Urgence Internationale‘s mobile clinics, while Triangle Génération Humanitaire‘s teams provided financial assistance to 210 families.

These assistance activities were deployed as part of a Consortium funded by the CDCS. 

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