10 killed, 100,000 displaced in Myanmar floods

At least 10 people have been killed and more than 100,000 people forced to flee their homes after heavy rains pounded Myanmar and flooded villages, according to government officials.

As of Tuesday, some 119,000 people across five provinces had been displaced by rising waters, with Magway region particularly hard hit, with more than 70,000 affected, CNN quoted Min Thein, Director of the Disaster Management Agency, as saying.

Images released by the Ministry of Information show rescue boats evacuating people, while children and families cling to rooftops to escape rising water levels.

However, attempts to reach many of those affected have been hampered by heavy rains.

Many of those displaced have been relocated to temporary shelters, with both monasteries and cyclone shelters opening their doors to families, according to the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC).

Additional shelters would be opened for pregnant women and women with young children, said the Committee.

Parts of Myanmar flood annually during the monsoon. In 2015, seasonal flooding killed around 100 and displaced more than 200,000 people.

--IANS

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