Storm and Flooding Death Toll in Myanmar Rises to 74

The death toll in Myanmar from Typhoon Yagi has surged to 74, according to state media reports on Sunday, just a day after the country's military regime made an unusual appeal for foreign aid.

Typhoon Yagi, which swept through the region last weekend, has led to floods and landslides that have claimed nearly 350 lives across Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, based on official tallies.

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In Myanmar, the floods have caused 74 deaths, with 89 people still missing as of Friday evening, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, and more than 65,000 houses and five dams have been destroyed, further exacerbating the hardships in a country already ravaged by conflict since the military coup in 2021.

In the Bago region’s Taungoo, flood-stricken residents were seen being evacuated on rescue boats on 14 September 2024, following the heavy rains from Typhoon Yagi. The storm brought relentless downpours, triggering deadly landslides and widespread flooding across northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.

The previous official death toll stood at 33, with over 235,000 people displaced as of Friday. Vast areas of farmland in central Myanmar, including around the capital Naypyidaw, remain submerged.

Landslides have been reported in hilly areas, but damaged roads, bridges, and disrupted communication lines have made it challenging to gather complete information.

State media reported that the Sittaung and Bago rivers, both running through central and southern Myanmar, remained above danger levels as of Sunday. However, water levels are expected to recede in the coming days.

In response to the disaster, authorities have opened 82 relief camps to shelter the displaced. Meanwhile, Thailand's weather office has issued warnings of more heavy rain for provinces along the Mekong River.

The floods compound Myanmar’s existing humanitarian crisis, where over 2.7 million people are already displaced due to ongoing conflict.

For the first time in years, Myanmar’s military leadership has asked for foreign aid to handle the catastrophe, as reported by state media on Saturday. In the past, the military has been known to obstruct international humanitarian efforts. Last year, they suspended travel authorisations for aid agencies attempting to reach a million people affected by Cyclone Mocha.

Both the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Myanmar and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have declined to comment on the junta’s request for aid so far.

Southeast Asia faces heavy monsoon rains each year, but climate change has intensified weather patterns, making catastrophic floods more frequent. According to a July study, climate change is causing typhoons to form closer to coastlines, strengthen rapidly, and linger over land longer than before.