Several Rakhine villages deprive of electricity supply after 3 months of Mocha

Many villages in Rakhine State are still deprived of electricitysupply after the cyclone Mocha hit the   on 14 May and damaged the power supply system.

The cyclonic storm uprooted a large number of electricity poles and destroyed the wiring network in various parts of Rakhine State. Townships of Sittwe, Kyauk Taw, Ponna Kyunt, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Mrauk U, Minbya, Pauk Taw, Maebon, etc faced the destruction.

Lately, the electric supply has been restored in all urban areas, but the villagers are still waiting for the same.

Ko Soe Min Tun hailing from Kan Site village under Kyauk Taw township informed that they are facing a lot of difficulties with no supply of electricity.

“When we had regular electricity, we could work more. Businesses activities went on smoothly. Now we have to depend on electricity generators, where fuel costs become very high. Our business has gone
down now,” he added.

Some villagers have arranged generators to charge the cellphones and they are demanding Kyats one to five thousand per shift.

A Rathedaung woman pointed out that the students have found difficulties in continuing their studies in night hours.

"As we don't have electricity, it’s becoming inconvenient for cooking too. Now we have to depend on charcoals with high prices. Some of us bought solar powered battery lamps which are useful in sunny days. But it's not convenient during continuous rainy days,” she added.

The electricity department is working hard to ensure the power supply in storm-affected villages by next month, but it’s not sure, said a responsible officer.

"We are working to make it possible for supplying electricity in all rural areas in September. Our workers are busy installing the broken poles and also the wiring cable system,” he added.

Currently more than 500 skilled electricity workers from the mainland and over 1,000 from the Rakhine region have been engaged in the operation.

Days back, the power supply was restored in 10 important urban localities along with some villages. But some distant villages are still waiting for the regular power supply.