Flood victims experience trauma, struggling in rehabilitation
170
Khit (NP News) - Sep 30
Flood victims in Myanmar were suffered a lot from mental impacts. Worse of all, many difficulties are experienced to resettle their lives, as the NP News found out in the trip of donations to flood-affected villages near and around the Naypyidaw Council Territory.
The NP’s members toured Sintay village and Pawsankaw village beyond the Naypyidaw Council Territory to donate pillows, and mosquito nets including rice, cooking oil, and drinking water on 22 September. During the tour, the NP News conducted interviews with the flood victims and inquired the situations.
“The flood swept away my home. I lost everything but my family and I escaped from the flood. The water level was significantly risen. I suffered a lot from this flood since my farmlands were also damaged. All of us are grassroot people. Now, we are struggling for living and how to earn. Fortunately, the Buddhist monk saved us and we had to take shelter at the monastery. The donors also came to donate necessary aid,” Daw Khin Ma Ma, a Sintay villager said.
The presiding monk of Paywatsaikkon monastery provides shelters to over 300 flood victims mostly from Sintay village at the monastery and the monk takes responsibility for managing to feed the flood victims.
“I can’t say them to leave. I will take care of them and allow them to stay here till the situation is back to normal since Sintay village was severely damaged. Therefore, I will take care of them as much as I can,” the venerable Buddhist monk said.
Besides, dry foodstuffs including rice, cooking oil, and medicine are fundamental necessities while providing shelter to the flood victims, the monk added.
On the other hand, the rehabilitation is a long process and challenging for the flood victims. Floods cause immediate damage to lives and property and leave lasting impacts on communities.
With regard to the foreign aid, the NP News conducted an inquiry into an official from the Disaster Management Department under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.
“We have received 60 tons of foreign aid from the AHA center (ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management), also foodstuffs, dry food, and drinking water from Singapore, and about 30 tons of foods and cooking oil from the Indian Government. We are delivering those to the flood-affected areas by connecting with the relevant embassies and cargo flights. In addition, social organizations in Japan are also coordinating with the Myanmar embassy to donate emergency aid,” the official said.
Besides, “For the rehabilitation process, the government will fully assist the flood-affected areas. Plans are undergoing to cultivate crops since many farmlands were damaged by flood. The relevant ministries are also planning for resettlement and reconstruction of the infrastructures,” the official added.
On 11 September, overwhelming rain due to the Typhoon Yagi and deep depression in the Bay of Bengal activated surges and avalanches in townships, regions and states of upper Myanmar such as Shan, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Ayeyawady, Naypyidaw and Bago.