Heavy rains in Hakha, the Chin State capital, have triggered landslides and caused many houses to collapse, blocking roads and leading to concerns of possible food shortages
Roads connecting Thanthlang, Falam, Matupi and Ganggaw with Hakha are blocked and food supplies cannot reach Hakha according to Jacob Thang, the Chairman of the Chin Youth Group.
He said: “Most of the Chin people are staying with their relatives due to the unwanted disaster, so many households have 15 to 20 guests and they cannot feed them as their foods stocks were gone within a week. Therefore, many in Hakha will soon face a total food shortage."
Four out of six blocks in Hakha were damaged by landslides and 613 houses were destroyed by the recent heavy rain. Two other blocks face potentially being damaged by landslides if the rain continues. Eleven relief centres have opened in Hakha and 6,673 people have been moved to safer areas.
Jacob Thang said: “People are worried about their future. The government has only supplied the victims of the severe natural disaster with 100 bags of rice out 500 bags, though Dr. Ba Maung, Minister of Social Welfare reported that the military had provided 500 bags of rice to the people.”
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
