Storm-affected Kyauk Taw woman commits suicide

A storm-affected woman from Kyauk Taw township, located at upper Kaladan river in Rakhine State, committed suicide by hanging herself after her house got collapsed by the cyclone Mocha.

The victim has been identified as Daw Ma Than Sein (over 40 years old) hailing from Pone Sa village.

The lady, who lived alone, was found hanging on a tree in the backyard of her damaged house on 20 May.

A young woman from  Pone Sa village informed  Narinjara News that she hanged herself during the night hours and the villagers saw her next morning.

"She probably hanged at night. Villagers discovered her as dead in the next morning. The old woman is understood to commit suicide because of desperation after the cyclonic storm,” she added.

The village has 80 families and the storm had damaged everyone’s houses. Many of them now become homeless.

Even after ten days of the storm, no relief from the government as well as NGOs have reached the village till Tuesday.

She asserted that there is an urgent need for food and also shelter for the villagers.

“At this moment, we need food, drinking water, and shelter.  We don't know how to deal with the rainy days or where to go. We are feeling helpless,” she stated.

Cyclone Mocha hit Sittwe on 14 May and it severely affected many villages of Rakhine State. Besides casualties to hundreds of people, it killed a large volume of livestock.

During such a storm, the rescue teams and social organizations usually visit various towns, but often they ignore rural areas, where the people suffer the most because of little or no relief on time.

Caption: A victim of circumstances in storm-ravaged Rakhine village