YANGON: Monsoon floods in a rebel-held Myanmar town on the country’s mountainous border with China have killed six people.
A spokesman for the armed group controlling the area confirmed the deaths on Wednesday.
The northern town of Laiza bordering China’s Yunnan province has reported flash flooding since early Monday.
Muddy waist-high waters began to stream through the streets, causing widespread destruction.
Laiza is a stronghold of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which has controlled its own ethnic enclave for decades.
The KIA is one of the most powerful factions in Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
“A lot of water flowed down the mountain to the river,“ said KIA spokesman Naw Bu.
“The flow of water was too strong and destroyed areas surrounding the river,“ he added.
“Six people were killed in the flood and 100 houses were destroyed.”
Rescue operations began on Wednesday but were hampered by road blockages.
“All of the roads have been damaged and the roads disappeared in some areas,“ said one resident.
The resident declined to be named for security reasons.
“The water rose suddenly,“ the resident added.
More than 3.5 million people are currently displaced in Myanmar due to the civil war.
Many are sheltering in temporary camps, leaving them exposed to extreme weather.
The resident described flooding around local displacement camps as “terrible.”
Some shelters were swept away, and people were wounded.
Myanmar is in the midst of its monsoon season, where daily heavy rains are common.
Scientists warn that hazardous weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. - AFP
