Food supplies for flood victims in northern Maungdaw Township cannot be transported to their intended destinations because bridges connecting the villages were damaged or destroyed during the recent flooding.

Four bridges in Maungdaw Township were washed away or rendered impassable on July 27-28, when a mountain torrent hit them following days of heavy rains in Arakan State.

One village head said the food supplies, provided by Maungdaw Township’s Department of Disaster Management and civil society organisations, cannot yet be transported to the flood victims due to the destruction of the inter-village bridges.

“We cannot transport the food supplies for the flood victims so far. We have to depend on a motorboat to cross the creek to reach the villagers,” said U Tun Chay, the Thit Tone Nar village head.

Two of the four bridges have been repaired but more time is needed to repair the Let Yar Creek bridge, which is more than 200 feet in length, he added.

“The creek is more than 50 feet wider than before because of the erosion during the mountain torrent. Authorities came and conducted a field inspection of the bridge. It will take time to rebuild the bridge,” he said.

U San Shwe, an engineer from the Road and Bridge Special Team-7, said: “We are preparing to repair all nine damaged bridges in one month, including destroyed bridges in northern Maungdaw Township.”

With two bridges still out of commission currently, transportation is poor and food supplies are running short at about 20 villages in northern Maungdaw Township.