Kyaw Thiha — Severe winds swept through Ponnagyunt and Kyauktaw townships yesterday, April 29, destroying homes and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis across several internally displaced person (IDP) camps.
Ko Myo Chit, chairman of the Rakhine Patriotic Youth Foundation (RMCYA), reported significant structural damage at a camp in Ponnagyunt. He noted that the shelters, already fragile, were unable to withstand the intensity of the storm.
“Yesterday’s winds were exceptionally strong. Because the buildings weren't reinforced, the damage is extensive,” Ko Myo Chit said. “Right now, displaced families are exposed to the wind and rain, enduring immense hardship. Their very livelihoods are at risk.”
Among those hardest hit is a 70-year-old man, blind in both eyes, whose home completely collapsed during the storm. Community leaders say he is currently facing an extremely precarious situation.
In Kyauktaw Township, similar destruction was reported. Ko Thiha Kyaw Swe, a resident of a local camp, described roofs being torn off and shelters failing.
"In our camp, several shelters were simply blown away," he said. "The roofing wasn't strong enough to hold, so rain is leaking everywhere. Falling tree branches have also added to the damage."
Relief workers emphasize that those whose homes were damaged are in urgent need of emergency shelter materials. Since April 27, heavy rain and gale-force winds have plagued various regions of Rakhine State.
According to the Humanitarian and Development Cooperation Office (HDCO), operating under the United Arakan National League (ULA), there are currently over 600,000 IDPs residing in liberated townships across Rakhine, many of whom remain highly vulnerable to the onset of monsoon weather.
Photo: RMCYA & PYA
