ِArakan News Agency | Exclusive
Floods caused by heavy rains have destroyed a major highway in Arakan state, western Myanmar, severely disrupting the movement of residents and posing a threat to their safety and livlihoods.
An Arakan News Agency correspondent reported that the heavy rains partially damaged the road between the two major cities of Maungdaw and Buthidaung, while the surrounding area is experiencing landslides and other disasters due to the continuous rainfall.
The force of the water rushing down from the mountainous areas has caused soil erosion, damaging the foundations of the highway, making it dangerous for vehicles in some areas.
A Buthidaung resident told Arakan News Agency that this road connects the two major cities, and that the disruption has halted trade, potentially leading to higher prices.
He continued, saying that floodwaters have entered homes and destroyed farmland, making it difficult for residents to access food and medicine.
Rising water levels in various villages in the two cities have caused massive flooding, submerging homes and farms, severely impacting the lives of residents. Twenty-nine villages in Buthidaung are suffering from the effects of the floods, impacting residents’ ability to meet their daily needs.
Residents in various cities across the state are experiencing significant difficulties in transportation and daily life due to the flooding that has been ongoing throughout the state for weeks. The floods have submerged Rohingya homes and lands, killed two women, and submerged several roads. Powerful water currents also swept away a truck in Maungdaw, but its passengers were able to escape.
