Myanmar: Floods - Jul 1991

In northern Myanmar, Irrawaddy river started to rise 10 July rendering 15,000 persons (3,000 families) homeless in Sagaing Administrative Division. Local authorities have relocated affected population to towns on higher ground. (UN DHA, 19 Jul 1991)

Torrential rains since 13 July, have caused Chindwin river in northern Myanmar to exceed its danger level by 346 cm, thus eroding river banks and flooding parts of Sagaing Adm. Division. UNDRO/UNDP Representative reports 3,212 households affected and 17,570 people relocated to higher ground where 9 relief camps opened by local authorities. (UN DHA, 26 Jul 1991)

Govt of Myanmar reports dykes of Ayeyarwady river in Ayeyarwady Division some 150 km from Yangon have broken and vast area including 388,000 acres of cultivated land, has been inundated with average depth of water 1 meter. 12 communities with 50,852 households comprising 239,000 people affected. Initial damage assessment includes partial or full destruction of over 20,000 family homes. Infrastructure in area damaged with several kilometers railway stretch washed away. Floods will prevent rice producing communities to harvest their paddy this season thus creating a need for medium term rehabilitation assistance to follow immediately after emergency relief programme. Provisional estimates see harvest from 370,000 acres rice paddy and 18,000 acres jute as lost. (UN DHA, 14 Aug 1991)

Hteingu embankment in Laymyatnar township in Ayeyarwady was breached on 28 July 1991 due to swelling of Ayeyarwady and Ngawun rivers resulting from incessant heavy rains since 13 July from western Yoma mountains and unusually high tides. Area of damaged embankment is over 1,000 ft. Long and 30 ft. Wide. Hteingu flood inundated 9 townships with 1,481 villages, 83,753 house-holds and 359,976 inhabitants, 23 fatalities were recorded. 4 hospitals, 32 rural health centres, 586 schools, 74,740 houses and 254,227 acres of cultivated land were flooded. […] As regard health situation, outbreak of 4,573 cases of diarrhoea, 13,120 respiratory cases and malaria and 4 cases of snake bite patients reported. Local health authorities claim that malaria will spread at accelerating rate in very near future especially if water does not recede, since this particular area of Ayeyarwady is malaria infested. Snake bite and cholera/hepatitis is of increasing concern. (UN DHA, 4 Sep 1991)