Cyclone Mocha: Many dams & embankments in coastal Rakhine townships damaged

Cyclone Mocha has damaged a number of dams and embankments in coastal Rakhine townships and if those are not repaired properly before the rainy days, the local farmers have to face a difficult time ahead.

Till date, the military government has no plan to do so and hence thousands of acres of rice cultivation may be wasted, said U Maung Than Tin, a farmer from Chaung Gyi village under Pauk Taw township.

"The government has not planned anything for the broken dams and embankments. The people of Nang Dak Kyun area have not built a dam and so they will not be able to plant rice in the coming agriculture season,” he added.

The affected coastal townships include Sittwe,  Ponna Kyunt, Kyauk Taw, Maebon, Rathedaug, Maungdaw besides Pauk Taw.

Under Pauk Taw township, 10000 acres of rice fields belonging to villages namely Nan Dak Kyunt, Taungfu, Wra Chaung Gyi, Thawin Chaung and Awagan were badly damaged.

The local residents have repaired some damaged dams in Pauk Taw township, but many dams are still in bad shape.

“If we wait for the government to do the job, it will take a long time. The villagers are working day and night in various localities,” added Maung Than Tin.

A large number of dams and embankments in Kyi Kyunt island, Auk Kyung Daung, Panzin Maw, Zee Gai under Rathedaung township were also damaged.

U Maung Tin Win, a farmer from Zi Kaing village informed that there was no plan to build the dam by the government authority. The local farmers have come out to construct the dam. Earlier, the storm
destroyed more than 300 acres of land there.

The military council declared that among 32 saltwater dams, maintained by the irrigation and water management department of Rakhine State, will be repaired by tomorrow. Those dams faced the cyclonic storm and thus overwater erosion took place.

About 4,000 acres of rice in section (1) and about 3,000 acres in section (2) under Ngman Ye Kyung embankment in Maebon township were fully destroyed by the cyclone.

U Tun Tun Win, a farmer from Loon Lon Pei village, whose rice fields were also destroyed, said that over 1,400 acres with rice plants were inundated by the salt water. The farmers can grow rice plants with the help of the irrigation system.

Several acres of farmlands in Ponna Kyunt township were also damaged and many farmers had to suffer because of it.

The farmers grow rice in the rainy season and cultivate saltwater shrimp during the summer. Rakhine State faced the cyclone on 14 May which damaged most of the dams and embankments.

Till now, 148 people died and tens of thousands of cattle lost their lives because of Mocha. Many irrigation dams were also damaged by the storm.

Photograph:  Rati Taung township witnesses the breaking of Zee Kaita dam by the rain.