Vice-President Dr Sai Mauk Kham addresses coord meeting on rehabilitation works in flood-hit regions of Pakokku District
NAY PYI TAW, 8 Nov-A work coordination meeting was held for rehabilitation works in floodhit regions in Pakokku District, Magway Region this afternoon at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement here, with an address by Vice- President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Dr Sai Mauk Kham.
The Vice-President in his speech said that today’s meeting was aimed at discussing ongoing works and follow-up tasks of the respective ministries in rescue and rehabilitation works for victims of floods in Pakokku District on 19 and 20 October.
The storm which swept through Rakhine State on 18 October set off torrential rains in Chin State and Magway Region. The raging torrents of Yaw Creek, Kyaw Creek, Yama Creek, Myaing Creek and Shwe Creek flushed 102 villages/wards in Pakokku, Myaing, Seikpyu and Pauk townships on 19 and 20 September.
The torrents left 161 people and 3384 cattle and poultry dead, 2535 houses, 15 government buildings, 33 religious buildings, over 5378 acres of croplands and seven bridges damaged. Moreover, 9523 houses were flooded, affecting 29751 people.
The loss in terms of cash was 1544.59 million kyats.
As the first phase, the region, district and townships undertook urgent rehabilitation works in flood-stricken areas. As the second phase, the Vice- President went to the flood-hit areas on 23 October to comfort victims, arrange assistance programmes and collect records of loss and damage. As for the third phase, the President toured the flooded areas on 25 and 26 October and guided rescue and rehabilitation works.
In the Vice-President’s tour, ministries, Hluttaw representatives, Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation and Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association, Union Solidarity and Development Party and businessmen donated cash and kind worth 307.056 million kyats for flood victims.
In the tour of the President on 25 and 26 October, ministries, Magway Region government, WFP and UNICEF, Union Solidarity and Development Party, MWAF, MMCWA, and businessmen donated 356.199 million kyats for Pakokku Township, 41.429 million kyats for Myaing Township, 77.53 million kyats for Pauk Township, and 145.317 million kyats for Seikpyu Township, totauling 620.475 million kyats in cash and kind.
Moreover, Htoo Company, IBTC Company, Shwe Thanlwin, IGE Company, Shwetaung Company and CB donated over K 200 million each and Kanbawza Company and Ever Winner Company, K 100 million each totalling K 1550 million for reconstruction of houses damaged in the flash floods in Pakokku, Myaing, Pauk and Seikpyu Townships.
Flood victims have already been provided with food and clothes and the plans are underway for construction of low-cost housing. Flood victims, in their parts are to take part in rehabilitation works. It is required to take necessary measures for resettlement of flood victims in safe places by the region government.
Necessary assistance for reopening of damaged schools has already been given and school children were provided with school stationery in order to resume their education. Temporary schools were reopened. Works to be carried out are supply of drinking water, preventive measures against diseases and reconstruction of religious buildings, roads and bridges as soon as possible.
Next, the Vice-President called on those present to give suggestions on requirements, difficulties and rehabilitation works to be done in Pakokku District by ministries concerned and Magway Region government.
On behalf of the Chairman, Secretary of Myanmar Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Phone Swe and Magway Region Chief Minister U Phone Maw Shwe discussed losses caused by floods in the Region and rehabilitation tasks.
Union ministers, deputy ministers and officials discussed progress of rehabilitation tasks and future plans sector-wise.
Officials concerned discussed construction of temporary shelters, cooperation with INGOs, banking assistances for breeding bulls and cows, Tatmadawmen’s participation in rehabilitation tasks in collaboration with local people, transportation of aids with military choppers, donation in cooperation with INGOs including WFP, providing seasonal crop strains, agricultural machinery for cultivitation of substituted crops, and fertilizers, resumption of operations of river water pumping stations and dams, reformation of model villages in South Ywama and North Ywama villages in Seikpyu Township, renovation of schools in flood-hit regions, tasks for accessibility of water, and electrification with solar power, repair of railroads, and reconstruction of roads and bridges.
In his concluding remarks, Vice-President Dr Sai Mauk Kham said, as natural disasters are happening very often now, local people need to notice warnings.
Taking lessons of this incident, actions that harm the environment should be avoided. Reports of the Region chief minister and ministries on rehabilitation of floodhit
Pakokku District are encouraging. Rehabilitation will be concluded only after infrastructures are built and vocational assistances are provided. Only when the Union ministries and the Region government make concerted efforts in cooperation with local people and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement as a focal point, will the rehabilitation mission be completed.
Under the leadership of the State, people and Tatmadaw, social organizations, entrepreneurs, wellwishers made all-out efforts in carrying out rescue and rehabilitation tasks in flood-hit Pakokku District. Rice, oil, salt, clothes, school uniforms, note books, household accessories, blankets, mosquito nets, medicines, generators, water purifiers, tarpaulins, tents, temporary schools, low-cost housings, artesian wells and crop strains have been donated to flood victims with the cash contributed by well-wishers.
Respective ministries are repairing railroads, motor roads and bridges for timely transportation. On 14 November, Shwechaung bridge will be able to pass as repair works for temporary passage will be finished.
Works for cultivating substituted crops, establishing model villages, low-cost housings, schools and clinics, and reestablishing vocational industries are being carried out. Measures are being taken sector-wise to rejuvenate psychological and physical strength of victims.-MNA