The Myawaddy-Kawkareik Asia Highway in the Karen (Kayin) State has been temporary closed on Monday (June 9) after heavy rain caused a landslide on 154 km stretch of road (Nat Sin Kway) at dawn.
State Hluttaw MP U Thant Zin Aung from Myawaddy Constituency – 2, who is monitoring the situation, said cargo trucks and passenger vehicles travelling between Myawaddy, Kawkareik and Hpa-an have been left stranded on the road after around 100 feet of road was covered with earth from the landslide.
“The landslide occurred in the evening, but one could still travel on the road. But, the road was blocked at around 6 am. The landslide continued to take place after the road was blocked. Most of the landslide occurred around 10 am. Vehicles can’t travel on the road anymore. The road was completely blocked,” he told KIC News.
U Thant Zin Aung continued that the officials from Myawaddy District have inspected the landslide situation and a detour is being built besides the road using a bulldozer in order for smaller vehicles to cross the road and the construction was still underway up to yesterday afternoon.
The authorities have allowed vehicles coming from Hpa-an and Kawkareik to use the old road and traveling from Myawaddy has been temporary closed, according to the officials.
According to the daily weather forecast, the monsoon is moderately strong in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea and isolated heavy rain has been forecasted in six states and regions including the Karen State.
Trees and lamp posts fell in Hpa-an on Sunday (July 8) night due to heavy rain and strong wind.
