Severe flooding has devastated Myanmar following Typhoon Yagi, displacing over 230,000 people and leaving at least 33 dead, according to the country’s military. The capital, Naypyidaw, is one of the hardest-hit areas, with authorities scrambling to set up temporary relief camps for those who have been made homeless. While the military reports 33 fatalities, Radio Free Asia claims the actual death toll may be much higher, estimating at least 160 lives lost due to floods and landslides.
The situation remains dire in areas like Taungoo, where rescue efforts are stretched thin. A local rescue worker described more than 300 people trapped by floodwaters along the Sittaung River, with a shortage of boats impeding rescue operations.
Typhoon Yagi, which has already impacted Vietnam, the Philippines, and China’s Hainan Island, is Asia’s most powerful storm this year. Scientists attribute the increasing intensity of such storms to climate change, noting that warmer ocean temperatures fuel stronger winds and heavier rainfall, resulting in more destructive storms.
Myanmar’s population is already grappling with the effects of a three-year civil war that has displaced more than 2.6 million people and left 18.6 million in need of humanitarian aid, according to the UN. Access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare is severely limited, further compounding the suffering caused by the floods.