Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year, has claimed at least 226 lives in Myanmar and affected over half a million people, further straining the resources of a country already grappling with conflict.
The storm’s torrential rains caused rivers and creeks to overflow, leading to floods that damaged infrastructure and crops in 84 townships, including the capital, Naypyidaw, according to the Ministry of Information. Official reports indicate that more than 70 people are still missing.
Tens of thousands have sought refuge in safer areas, with 438 relief camps set up nationwide. Floodwaters have submerged over 158,000 homes and destroyed 2,116 others, the government reported. The devastation from Typhoon Yagi has prompted junta chief Min Aung Hlaing to make an unusual request for international aid. “Government officials must reach out to foreign countries for rescue and relief assistance,” he was quoted by state media. So far, Myanmar has received 10 tons of aid from neighboring India, including dry rations, clothing, and medicines.
The death toll in Myanmar is expected to rise. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated that 631,000 people have been affected, and “multiple sources indicate that hundreds have died, with many more missing,” the agency said in a report.
In neighboring Thailand, heavy rains are forecast to continue in its flood-hit provinces for the next four days. Since mid-August, flooding and related incidents have claimed at least 45 lives, with about 28,000 households still impacted across 13 provinces, according to Thailand’s disaster prevention department.
Typhoon Yagi also caused devastation in Vietnam, where over 350 people lost their lives, and damages amounted to $1.6 billion. The storm, Vietnam’s most powerful in decades, is seen as another indication that global warming is intensifying tropical cyclones.
Evacuation and rescue efforts in Myanmar continue but face challenges due to damaged infrastructure, ongoing conflict, and limited resources, according to the UN agency. Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun stated that a comprehensive damage assessment would be carried out to ensure proper aid distribution.
Myanmar’s meteorology department has urged residents near rivers in three towns to evacuate, as the Sittaung River has exceeded its danger level by about five feet. Heavy rains are also forecast in three provinces, including the conflict-ridden Rakhine State, over the next 24 hours.
