Locals in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township are worried that some villages will be flooded next monsoon season as the Kyaukphyu Creek is being blocked to build a road leading to a sub-power station.

Ko Tun Soe, a resident of Kone Baung village in Kyaukphyu town, said the creek is more than nine miles long and the mouth of the creek is now closed, which could cause flooding in the rainy season.

“The creek starts flowing from Gangaw village. We are worried that if it rains heavily, our villages will be submerged. The creek should not be blocked. Some villages will be inundated if the natural creek is blocked,” he said.

According to locals, Power China Co. is working to dam the Kyaukphyu creek and build a road to the sub-power station.

Locals say they want those plans to be halted as they are likely to face difficulties in the next rainy season.

“When the rainy season comes, there will be floods. Because there is no place for water to flow, there will be floods. That is why I want to tell concerned officials to stop blocking this creek. If not, I want to know who will be responsible for the floods,” said Daw Thein Hla, a resident.

An official from the Kyaukphyu Township General Administration Department (GAD) told DMG that a new creek would be created to take the place of the current one.

“The creek was blocked during construction of a road leading to a sub-power plant jointly developed by the government and Power China Co. Instead, another creek will be built,” the GAD official said.

Efforts are underway to gather the opinions of villagers and submit them to local authorities, urging them to put a stop to the blockading of the creek.