A part of a newly built asphalt connecting Mo-so, Ho-yar, and Kay-kaw in the Kayah State collapsed between ‘Yar A Pa Yar’ and ‘Htay Kho’ villages this week due to continuous rain this week.
Flash flood from the mountain stream caused the collapse of a 12-foot stretch of road between the two villages on the night of June 14.
The road collapsed after the water flooded the road as roadside drains were not built while the road was being built.
Local residents have a built a makeshift bamboo bridge for temporary use.
“Actually, it’s because of the site. [They] should have built proper drainage system. As far as we know, the mountain is high and the road has been expanded. I might be wrong about the width but I learned that it is 36 feet [wide]. But, they didn’t build a proper drain. It happened first at Thabarwa Bridge. There was too much water past the bridge and the water formed a pool at the other corner due to lack of an exit point. Too much water entered so [the road] collapsed,” said an official from the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) who observed the road condition.
Firefighters and local residents have cleared away waste soil left by a landslide for the travellers.
“We want the government and the authorities to help us as fast as possible. We are facing difficulties with roads and communication, economic, and health. We, the public, want them to repair the road as quickly as possible,” said U Lu Ei from of Yar A Pa Yar Village, who has been repairing the bridge for travel convenience of the public.
Local residents want the authority to build a temporary wooden bridge for the travel convenience of the public during the monsoon.
Landslides and road blocks usually occur on most roads in Hpruso Township.
“Roads and communication is bad now. Vehicles cannot travel on the road. We don’t know what we should do to make it convenient for local residents to travel. We have to return to the headquarters and make the arrangement,” said the KNPP official.
Led by Daw Thida Aye, a township engineer from the Road Management Department, the road project cost over Ks 5.5 million and it was built in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The road project stretches from milepost 19/4 to 20/4 and the road between milepost 20/3 and 20/4 have collapsed.
An official from the Ministry of Construction admitted that they did not build a proper drainage system.
Local residents said the road upgrade was only completed over a month ago.
