The State Administration Council coordinated necessary management for the prevention of flash flooding at Gelaung Creek due to reports of officials at different levels, said Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC Vice-Chairman Chairman of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army), in meeting with flood victims in PyinOoLwin Township on 31 July.
At the station hall, Station Commander Brig-Gen Zaw Min Latt and Mayor U Kyaw Hsan reported on heavy rains in the township, flooding of Gelaung Creek, loss and damage, and rescue and relief tasks.
In responding to the report, the Vice-Senior General discussed efforts to minimize damage and loss in flash flooding in Gelaung Creek, the soonest clearing of debris in nine of 21 wards in PyinOoLwin in ebbing, proper flow of the seven-mile drain undertaken by Tatmadaw members from the station, rescue and repairing tasks at damaged school, hospital, fences and some houses, plans to provide aid to flood victims, needs to give health care services to the people after the natural disasters, proper flow of water in the drains for prevention of coming flooding and situations to help PyinOoLwin return to normalcy as soon as possible.
The Vice-Senior General viewed damaged parts at Pwekauk Waterfall (BE Fall) in flooding, Kandawlay outlet, sluice gate, Kandawgyi No 4 tank and urban residences.
At the gymnasium of the township, the Vice-Senior General met with some 250 flood victims and delivered a speech. He said: the heavy rainfall reached 10.47 inches of the rainfall within eight hours in PyinOoLwin as a record in 30 years. The State Administration Council coordinated necessary management for the prevention of flash flooding at Gelaung Creek due to reports from officials at different levels.
Slash and burn to farms, extreme extraction of timber and carbon dioxide emission from industries may cause global warming which triggers unexpected natural disasters. On the early morning of 31 July, flooding of Gelaung Creek caused damage to some houses, and administrative and school fences and more than 400 local people were evacuated to the relief camps. Prevention of flash floods could be taken within nine hours on 1 August thanks to concerted efforts of authorities and departmental officials in the systematic management of dams and drains with the clearing of debris in rains and creeks by Tatmadaw members and local people. People are to take individual responsibility for the prevention of flooding in and out the residences while relevant authorities are to take responsibility for the prevention of flooding on roads, bridges, creeks and drains. Officials from the township level to the regional level need to carry out follow-up relief tasks and healthcare services for the people immediately and submit the difficulties to the SAC.
The Vice-Senior General presented cash assistance for flood victims and the region chief minister, and relief supplies through officials.
Heavy rain from 2 am to 10 am on 31 July set a 30-year record of 10.47 inches of rainfall in PyinOoLwin Township. Due to the heavy rain, a flash flood occurred in Gelaung Creek, overflowing nine of 21 wards. The 2.5 miles long banks of seven miles long Gelaung Creek were filled with gravel as the retaining walls. The Kandawlay Dam is facilitated with seven feet wide spillways and three two-foot valves. The valves were developed as seven feet wide and five feet deep. So, the heavy rain could not damage them. Due to repairing the sluice gate, the dam can store more volume of water and help control the water flowed into four Kandawgyi Dams.
Local people, authorities, security troops and departmental personnel are still carrying out sanitation and beautifying tasks in flood-hit residential wards. — MNA
