Summary Highlights
Over 200,000 people affected and 39 killed nationwide due to the flooding in Myanmar
The Government of Myanmar is leading the response and has requested the international community for assistance
Flooding is moving further south with Rakhine, Western Sagaing, Magway and Chin declared as disaster areas
Situation Overview
On July 30, 2015 Cyclone Komen made landfall in Bangladesh. The strong winds and heavy rains resulted in floods and landslides in several states and regions of Myanmar. The continued heavy rains have caused floods and landslides in several parts of the country during the last two weeks of July. As of August 3, the Relief and Resettlement Department (RRD) of the Ministry of Social Welfare reported that over 200,000 people have been affected and 39 people have been killed across 12 states and regions, with figures expected to rise.
The President’s Office announced the following natural disaster zones: 1) Chin State, (2)
Sagaing Region, (3) Magway Region and (4) Rakhine State on July 31. Flood waters in Kachin areas appear to be drying but there are now serious threats to the Ayerwaddy Delta where evacuations are currently occurring. Immediate needs include emergency health services, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), food, and shelter. The need for mosquito nets has also been identified.
The United Nations (UN) Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is leading coordination between UN and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) through Humanitarian Architecture.
OCHA and partners are working on triangulating data from different government sources, assessments and other observations by partners in affected areas. Standardized assessment tools are now in place.