By SAI HSENG HLAING / SHAN

More than 100 people in Ner Makhaw village are facing struggles with housing and food after heavy flooding hit Hsipaw Township in northern Shan State on Monday.

Heavy rains forced 112 people to relocate into a monastery in the community on August 24.

“A total of 27 houses are completely flooded. Some houses are under four feet of water. All of the local people are struggling for food. They have lost their property,” youth leader in Naer Makhaw Sai Aung Htay told SHAN.

The village, which is 28 miles from Hsipaw town, is home to 400 households in total.

Local villagers say they remember Ner Makhaw village was completely flooded 10 years ago.

“The combination of water from the [nearby] stream and the mountain stream causes flooding in the area. Flooding occured in the central area and the lowland area of Ner Makhaw village. The flooded area is close to the stream,” Sai Aung Htay told SHAN.

Even though the water level has receded, the threat of further flooding remains.

Ko Myo, who is working with the Hsipaw-based social welfare team Volunteers Without Borders said that these villagers are still staying in the monastery, and that most were in good health.

Sai Lao, who lives in Hsipaw town, said that environmental destruction and deforestation has contributed to flooding in Shan State.  

“There are no trees left on the mountains. People cut down trees on the mountains and sold these trees to China,” Sai Lao told SHAN. “Another thing is that people cut down trees and make corn fields. The environment is completely damaged in the area.”

Flooding also occurred in Langkhur District in southern Shan State on August 21, and Namzang Township in southern Shan State on August 10. At least 231 houses were damaged in Namzang.  

Heavy rainfall caused flooding in Taunggyi on August 3, killing one local man.