Hundreds of refugees including many women and children caught by flooding are still sheltering in schools and monasteries in Pegu, central Burma.
Local residents say a man died in the flooding on Tuesday.
“He went swimming for fun, but he disappeared. We searched until nightfall and eventually found his body,” a witness in Pegu said.
Local residents accuse Burmese authorities of doing too little to help, saying that the displaced people are receiving food and water from monks and private donors but very little from the government, said Aye Myint, a local resident in Pegu.
“Some areas are still flooded and the flood victims have to remain in schools and monasteries,” he said, "But they get no help from the authorities."
He said the only help was coming from monks and volunteers. "Monks and private donors provide packages of rice, noodles and water to the victims stranded by the deluge," he said. "People in town still have to get around by boat."
A refugee sheltering in a monastery in Kyauk Gyi Suu zone said, “The water flooded our wells, so we cannot drink water from them," adding that his group would probably have to stay in the monastery a few more days.
Burma’s Department of Meteorology & Hydrology under the Ministry of Transport said on Wednesday that the water level will drop by two centimeters to 910 centimeters within the following 24 hours.
Local resident in Pegu confirmed that the water level started to subside on Wednesday evening.
The flooding began on Aug. 28 and threats of inundation forced the evacuation of 5,000 households, sources said.
Despite receding water levels on Wednesday evening, local residents remain concerned about the prospect of more rain.
Sources said apart from flooding in large ares of Pegu, Magwe Division, Shan and Mon States have also suffered from flooding and some highways are under water.
Local residents say a man died in the flooding on Tuesday.
“He went swimming for fun, but he disappeared. We searched until nightfall and eventually found his body,” a witness in Pegu said.
Local residents accuse Burmese authorities of doing too little to help, saying that the displaced people are receiving food and water from monks and private donors but very little from the government, said Aye Myint, a local resident in Pegu.
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He said the only help was coming from monks and volunteers. "Monks and private donors provide packages of rice, noodles and water to the victims stranded by the deluge," he said. "People in town still have to get around by boat."
A refugee sheltering in a monastery in Kyauk Gyi Suu zone said, “The water flooded our wells, so we cannot drink water from them," adding that his group would probably have to stay in the monastery a few more days.
Burma’s Department of Meteorology & Hydrology under the Ministry of Transport said on Wednesday that the water level will drop by two centimeters to 910 centimeters within the following 24 hours.
Local resident in Pegu confirmed that the water level started to subside on Wednesday evening.
The flooding began on Aug. 28 and threats of inundation forced the evacuation of 5,000 households, sources said.
Despite receding water levels on Wednesday evening, local residents remain concerned about the prospect of more rain.
Sources said apart from flooding in large ares of Pegu, Magwe Division, Shan and Mon States have also suffered from flooding and some highways are under water.
