Burma flood death toll rises to 113, 64 missing

According to official figures, floods and landslides following Typhoon Yagi have killed nearly 400 people in Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

The human toll from the floods caused by Typhoon Yagi is rising. “Across the country, 113 people are dead, 64 are missing and 14 are injured”announced the Burmese junta on Sunday, September 15. “More than 320 000 people, or 78 000 homes were evacuated to temporary relief camps”she said. Some 82 camps have been opened, according to state media.

Swathes of farmland have been flooded in central Myanmar, including around the capital Naypyidaw, and landslides have been reported in mountainous areas. The disaster has added to the misery in Myanmar, which has been in a humanitarian, security and political crisis since a February 2021 coup against the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta appealed for international help on Saturday.

Floods and landslides have killed nearly 400 people in Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand following Typhoon Yagi, which hit the region over the weekend, according to official figures. Thailand’s weather bureau warned of further heavy rains in provinces along the Mekong River on Sunday.

Scientists say climate change is making the monsoon, which hits Southeast Asia from June to September, stronger and more erratic. Typhoons are forming closer to shore, intensifying more quickly and staying over land longer, according to a study published in July.

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