The death toll from severe flooding in Myanmar following Typhoon Yagi has surged to 226, according to state media, while the United Nations warns that up to 630,000 people may require assistance.
Typhoon Yagi swept through northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar over a week ago, unleashing heavy rain and strong winds that led to floods and landslides. Official figures show over 500 fatalities across the region. Myanmar’s state TV confirmed late Monday that 226 people had died, with 77 still missing, doubling the previous toll of 113.
The floods have devastated approximately 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) of rice paddies and other crops. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates that around 631,000 people have been impacted by the flooding in Myanmar, with urgent needs for food, drinking water, shelter, and clothing. Relief efforts have been hindered by blocked roads, damaged bridges, and poor communication, particularly in remote areas.
State media reported that more than 150,000 homes were submerged, and the military junta has established over 400 relief camps. The UN’s World Food Programme described the floods as the worst in Myanmar’s recent history, though no specific figures were provided.
Severe flooding has hit Myanmar in the past, with major disasters in 2011, 2015, and the deadly Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which claimed more than 138,000 lives. The junta has made a rare appeal for international assistance, with India being the first to respond, sending 10 tonnes of supplies, including food, clothing, and medicine. UNOCHA stressed the urgent need for additional resources.
Myanmar’s military has previously restricted foreign aid, including following Cyclone Mocha last year when it blocked humanitarian access to about a million people.
The flooding comes as Myanmar grapples with the effects of ongoing conflict between the military junta and armed opposition groups, which has displaced millions.
In neighboring Thailand, severe flooding also caused by Yagi has displaced hundreds of thousands. The death toll there rose to 15, and the government announced financial compensation of up to $6,000 per household. In Vietnam, 292 people have died, with 38 still missing. The typhoon, which caused $1.6 billion in damages, also ravaged the country’s crucial Red River delta, damaging homes, factories, and farmland.