Urgent action needed to address recurring monsoon floods in Inle
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Phyo/Cherry (NP News) - August 14
An official from a social welfare organization helping in the Inle area told The Statesman that the region is currently experiencing flooding due to heavy rainfall and mountain torrents, and measures should be taken to prevent such problems from recurring.
The Inle Lake region, which is a popular tourist destination in Myanmar, faces escalating disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and is currently experiencing flooding while still recovering from the quake.
“At Inle, the water levels keep rising. The fields of paddies, sunflowers, and groundnuts are submerged. At this time, there’s no way to save them anymore, they’re already gone. The sunflowers’ stems are snapping. If the water doesn’t recede within two days, the rice crops will miss its flowering stage, resulting in total loss. The crops are already damaged. The middle of Inle Lake doesn’t suffer much from the flooding. The farmland connected to the lake by the surrounding roads is the area getting severely affected. If we include the surrounding area of Inle, there are quite a lot of acres under cultivation. All agricultural areas are affected,” said the above-mentioned official.
The region endured two months of flooding throughout 2024, but the current water levels have surged five feet above the original high water mark. Social media footage depicts Inle residents evacuating low-lying areas and their homes.
“Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the government. For us, it’s difficult to make requests or demands about what should be done. In my opinion, the water levels shouldn’t be allowed to rise that much. Honestly speaking, Inle Lake just started facing flooding problems in the past one or two years. Historically, Inle has been stable for many years, without significant flooding. People lived there in harmony with their environment. But now, the flooding is much worse than before. If this continues to happen every year, their way of life in Inle and much of its natural environment will be severely damaged,” he said.
On August 1, a preliminary meeting was held at the Inle Pagoda Temple to discuss preparations for the Inle Phaungtawoo Pagoda Festival. The event will take place over 18 days, from the first waxing day of Thadingyut (September 22) to the third waning day of Thadingyut (October 9), U Than Win, Vice Chairman of the Inle Pagoda Trustees, told The Statesman Journal.