Myanmar

Severe flooding in Myanmar slows rescue efforts

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Severe flooding across Myanmar has hampered rescue efforts as thousands are sheltered at monasteries there.

“Most of the country is flooded now,” AFP quoted a government official as saying on condition of anonymity on Saturday.

He added that all but one of Myanmar’s 14 provinces and regions were affected by the flash floods, rising waters and landslides caused by ongoing downpours in the Asian country.

Rescue efforts by Myanmar authorities and local aid groups were under way but they are “struggling to access flood-hit areas,” the official said.

The official added that there was no update to Thursday’s death toll of 27 due to disrupted communications. But reports say that number is likely to go up.

The western Rakhine and Chin states are among the four worst affected areas. Earlier this week, President Thein Sein declared them “national disaster affected regions,” according to the state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM) newspaper.

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