Reuters, Nyaungdon :
Authorities are racing to clean contaminated water sources in flood-hit parts of Myanmar, while distributing bottled water, chlorine powder and purification tablets as they struggle with diarrhea outbreaks.
Torrential rains since late June triggered floods and landslides across central and western Myanmar, killing more than 100 people and affecting 1.3 million, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
In four hard-hit states and regions – Rakhine, Sagaing, Magway and Ayeyarwady – tens of thousands of people lack access to clean water for bathing, washing and drinking, officials and aid organizations told Myanmar Now.
Ponds and wells have been contaminated by floodwaters, including seawater in coastal Rakhine state, as well as faeces from farm animals that have sought safety on embankments around ponds, officials said.
“We need to pump floodwater out of these ponds. Only then can we use them to store rainwater in the remaining monsoon period,” said Tin Maung Swe, secretary of the Rakhine government.
Authorities are racing to clean contaminated water sources in flood-hit parts of Myanmar, while distributing bottled water, chlorine powder and purification tablets as they struggle with diarrhea outbreaks.
Torrential rains since late June triggered floods and landslides across central and western Myanmar, killing more than 100 people and affecting 1.3 million, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
In four hard-hit states and regions – Rakhine, Sagaing, Magway and Ayeyarwady – tens of thousands of people lack access to clean water for bathing, washing and drinking, officials and aid organizations told Myanmar Now.
Ponds and wells have been contaminated by floodwaters, including seawater in coastal Rakhine state, as well as faeces from farm animals that have sought safety on embankments around ponds, officials said.
“We need to pump floodwater out of these ponds. Only then can we use them to store rainwater in the remaining monsoon period,” said Tin Maung Swe, secretary of the Rakhine government.
