Floods and Community

The village I live in is Tha Pyae Kone Village, Myan Aung Township, Hinthada District. Our village faces the floods every year. I wish to describe what the villagers face before the flood tide; difficulties during the floods and how things get back to normal after the floods with the support and coordination of the private organizations, government organizations, non-government organizations, villagers and other organizations . I aim to describe the difficulties caused by flood disaster to those who have no experience.

Our Tha Pyae Kone village is divided into five wards: Ward (1) Ward (2) Ward (3) Ward (4) and Ward (5). The wards that face flood disaster every year are Wards 1, 2 and 5. Those three wards face flood because they are situated on the east of the embankment. The other two wards are situated on the west of the embankment and thus do not suffer the flooding. Before my birth, my village faced flooding every year.

Nga Wun River, a tributary of Ayeyawaddy River, flows into a stream that results annual flood during the rainy season. The situation was not so bad at my childhood days. Students from neighboring villages used boats to come to our school during monsoon. We used boats to go to school every year and got adapted to the situation. Hence we did not consider the flooding as devastating since it is a regular event and people are used to it.

Although the flood water flowed into the wards every year, the water level was up to the chest only in the lowlands. Not as tall as a person's height. In the highlands, the flood water used to be below the waist. The water level is quite high in the stream. Water way was convenient during the rainy season; people used motor boats to travel. Maize and Matpe used to be transported to Hinthada by motor boats during the rainy season. Since there were motor boats, it was convenient during the monsoon.Although the water flowed into the wards, it did not rise up to the houses.

Since the farms and fields did not submerge so much in the flood during rainy season, there was no concern about the crops and food. We faced things calmly. But in the year 2015, the the water level of flood was unexpectedly very high. It gradually rose every hour, minute and second. It was dreadful. Even on the first and second day of the floods, wards (1), (2) and (5) were submerged in water. In the previous years, water seeped in to the wards 4-5-6 days after the flooding. In 2015 the flood water rose while keeping watch. It rose by force that the houses in the village were flooded in a while. Not only the houses but also the wells and manual tube wells were submerged in water. We faced great trouble for drinking water.

There was no time to prepare as the flood water rose up very quickly. Water flowed into the houses and thus the electricity had to be cut off. The wards in the village were submerged in water and thus it was difficult to prepare food. The fire woods were also submerged in water and some drifted away in the current. The water level rose so swift that the rice sheds in the village were also flooded. We tried to relocate the rice bags in time but the tide was so swift that most bags got wet. Only a few bags could be saved. The crops were also submerged in water and thus food was scarce. Since the crops, wells and manual tube wells were submerged in water, rice and drinking water were scarce and thus villagers were depressed. Those who raised cattle had to relocate them to a safe place. Many were sheltered in the monastery.

The water level was so high that some of the villagers just carried necessary items and left their homes. They stayed in the make-shift tents on the embankment. Some moved to their relatives' houses for rescue. Previously, the water level used to rise up only half way of the embankment, so the people in the village did not make an effort to repair the embankment. In 2015, the water level rose over the embankment. The embankment was not strong enough to bear the water force. Water seeped out from some places. It was dangerous to walk on certain place as the ground was marshy. Everyone was horrified that the embankment would burst due to the swift flood level increase.

Drug stores and shops on the west of the embankment were closed due to the danger of the bursting of the embankment. The village elders got together and stacked sand bags to prevent the embankment from bursting. Nevertheless, the situation was not safe as the work was done in a rush. The water seeped out from the embankment to ward (3) and ward (4) which never were flooded before. The water level was up to the ankle. Residents from wards (1), (2), and (5) who took rescue at these two wards also faced trouble. Some cattle had to sleep where the water was up to the ankle. The water from the wells and manual tube wells were no longer clear as the basement of the tube wells on the west of the embankment were also flooded. However, the drinking water was scarce and thus the people had to boil that water for drinking.

To our good luck, there was no epidemic occurred due to drinking water. People from the west of the embankment got together and prepared food in large amount. They travelled by boats and distributed food to the flood victims on the east of the embankment. They also shared drinking water. Aged people were kept at the Ward Administrator's office and given good care. Schools were temporarily closed due to the prevailing situation. The danger due to the flooding was devastating.

During the days of flooding, we had to be cautious at nights. Poisonous creatures like snakes and scorpions could crawl up to places that were not submerged in water. It was necessary to keep a flash light near us at nights. It was also advisable to keep a bamboo and a stick at reach. We had to be alert while sleeping. If bitten by a snake, we could lose our life as we may not get the treatment in time. Another danger was the lamp posts. Cables from some wooden posts were submerged in water. Since the electricity was cut off at beginning of the flooding, we managed to keep the cables away from the flood.

Not long after the flooding, the concerned organizations arrived and donated purified drinking water, instant noodle packets, medicines, rice, cooking oil and salt. The number of victims was larger than the amount of items donated. Organizations were donating to so many places and thus it was difficult to meet the needs. Organizations were also too busy as it was the election period. It was not an easy task to reach out to everyone. Some villages were entirely flooded and thus the well-wishers had to reach out by boats and motor boats to donate items.

Even after the flooding, there were things to worry about. The mud remained in the houses. Sanitation activities had to be carried out. The manual tube wells were also flooded and thus got destroyed. The roads were damaged and it was difficult to commute. The river water flowed into the wells and the water was no longer clean until for some days after the flooding. Crops were submerged in water and got destroyed. Food for the cattle was also scarce so villagers had to take the trouble going to the west of the embankment.

The organizations extended help to the victims even after the flood. The Irrigation Department inspected the embankments and carried out necessary repairs. Roads were repaired systematically with red ochre, sand and stones. The flooding started in the year 2015 and continued on in 2016 and 2017. Since the houses are now re-built high above the ground, there is less concern and no need to evacuate. Water tanks are also built high above the ground and there are no worries for drinking water. Every household has possessed a boat and thus it is easy to commute. Rice sheds have been rebuilt high above the ground.

We are able to overcome the disaster because of the preparedness, support from the government organizations, benefactors and well-wishers.