Artillery shelling causes power outages in Maungdaw and Buthidaung

Saung Zar Kyi
Narinjara News, 26 August 2020

An electric pylon was hit by shrapnel from artillery shells, resulting in power outages in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships. The blackouts started after the pylon which stands between Rathedaung’s Nyaung Pin Hla and Yemyat villages, was hit on the afternoon of Monday.

Eyewitnesses said that a naval vessel had been shelled by the AA near Min Kyun on the Mayu River on the afternoon of August 24. The boat retaliated by shelling which is thought to have hit the power line, causing the blackout.

A local villager was quoted by the Rakhine Ethnic Congress (REC) as saying that one artillery shell was fired by a naval vessel on the Mayu River at around 1pm today, cutting off one of the three cables on a power tower about two furlongs from Yemyat village.

U Zaw Zaw Tun, secretary of the REC, was contacted by Narinjara about the incident. “The power lines were cut due to shelling.  We can confirm this. We have even asked them to take photos although its still difficult to send the pictures due to the internet,” he said.

Rakhine State’s Minister for Border and Security Affairs Colonel Min Than was also contacted about the incident. “The military did not fire," he said.

“It was the AA. There has been fighting on both sides. When that happened, it was the AA that fired. I don't know from where they fired though. There is fighting taking place there today, there has been shelling, they have been using everything, light and heavy weapons, ”he said.

A local resident said that AA troops had attacked a Tatmadaw ferry boat near Min Kyun in the Mayu River in Rathedaung Township. He said heavy artillery shells had then been fired from the ship.

Subsequently, there was a power outage in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships from 1 pm, said a source in Buthidaung Township.

“There was a power outage in both towns. If that line can’t provide electricity, both Maungdaw and Buthidaung are in darkness. We have not been able to go to that place yet. We are still hearing news and rumours that there’s still fighting and shelling in that area. But we don't know because we don't have internet here. It is said that it was cut off, ”he told Narinjara.

Ma Nyein Nyein Chay from Maungdaw said “there has been a power cut here. The power outage is really not good for the people of the town. I can’t cook or make rice. There are also other inconveniences for other things,” she told Narinjara.

A local resident in Buthidaung told Narinjara that the blackout had started at around 1pm on August 24.