Hundreds of Thousands Affected by Flooding in Rakhine; Over 70 Villages Submerged

Narinjara, 10 July 2026

Heavy monsoon rains and subsequent river flooding have inundated most townships across Rakhine State in western Myanmar, affecting hundreds of thousands of people, local social activists and aid officials told Narinjara.

The intense weather system has caused persistent flooding in the Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, Taungup, Buthidaung, and Maungdaw townships in Rakhine State, as well as Paletwa in neighboring Chin State.

“We estimate that about 100,000 people will be affected by the floods. This is because the heavily impacted areas include the densely populated Kaladan and Laymyo river basins,” social activist Ko Wai Hin Aung told Narinjara.

Currently, the central Rakhine townships of Minbya, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Ponnagyun are the most severely impacted. Meanwhile, low-lying villages near rivers in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships are also entirely submerged.

Residents are being actively evacuated to monasteries and relatives' homes in higher-elevation highland areas, according to U Zaw Zaw Aung, executive director of the Association for Community Resilience (ACRO).

“I see that relief organizations are starting to do their part. I have heard that the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government has also started providing assistance. However, it would be much more effective if all relief groups convened an emergency meeting to coordinate and scale up their response,” he added.

Local Rakhine residents cannot get timely weather updates because internet and phone lines are down. This lack of information has tragically led to multiple deaths, as people continue to fish and bathe in the rising rivers without knowing the danger.

"Our biggest issue is that our communication system is completely broken," he explained.

"When it rains heavily, we lose the internet. If it stays cloudy and we cannot use our solar panels, we have no power for our devices either. Because we lack information, we do not know the latest news on the rising waters. We think it is just a normal flood, so we go out to fish in the rivers. That is why we are starting to lose lives."

According to the Humanitarian and Development Coordination Office (HDCO) under the Arakan People’s Government, a powerful tornado damaged about 240 houses by July 5. The damage spans across Kyaukphyu, Rambry, Taungup, Thandwe, and Gwa townships.

Furthermore, reports from July 8 show that heavy floods have hit at least 70 wards and villages.

The affected areas include Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Paletwa, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships. The floods have already caused three deaths, washed out roads and bridges, and triggered dangerous landslides and riverbank collapses.

The HDCO is currently working with local rescue groups to respond to the disaster. They are also urging international and local aid organizations to closely monitor the emergency and provide support where needed.