Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general

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Description: "Objectives of the DMH is as follows: (1) To take precautionary measures against and minimize the effects of natural disasters (2) To promote safety, comfort, efficiency and regularity of air, land (rail & road), sea and inland water transportation. (3) To bring sustainable development of natural resources (hydro electric power, forest produce, water use, wind energy, etc.) (4) To promote agricultural and food production. (5) To ensure efficient operation, planning and development of activities in natural defense, industry, health, social welfare and all sectors of national economy. (6) To undertake international collaboration for all development activities and works of the DMH"
Source/publisher: DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AND HYDROLOGY (MYANMAR)
Date of entry/update: 2016-12-01
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Sub-title: Dr. Tun Lwin's Facebook Account
Description: Dr. Tun Lwin - Myanmar Climate Change Watch (MCCW)
Creator/author: Dr. Tun Lwin
Source/publisher: Myanmar Climate Change Watch (MCCW)
2019-07-14
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-14
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
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Description: See also the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (Alternate URL, below)
Source/publisher: Global Climate Change Alliance
Date of entry/update: 2017-04-26
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, French
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Description: About 1,480,000 results (May 2018)
Source/publisher: Various sources via Google
Date of entry/update: 2018-04-30
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
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Description: Thematic profiles and systems: AQUASTAT country profile - The AQUASTAT country profiles describe the state of water resources and agricultural water use in the respective country. Special attention is given to the water resource, irrigation, and drainage sub-sectors... FAO-GeoNetwork - FAO-GeoNetwork is a web based Geographic Data and Information Management System. It enables easy access to local and distributed geospatial information catalogues and makes available, data, graphics and documents for immediate download. FAO-GeoNetwork holds approximately 5000 standardized metadata records for digital and paper maps, most of them at the global, continent and national level... Reports and statistical data: AQUASTAT country fact sheet - AQUASTAT Long-term average annual renewable water resources by country - Forest area statistics - From Forestry Country Profiles Forest health statistics - From Forestry Country Profiles Growing stock statistics - From Forestry Country Profiles
Source/publisher: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
Date of entry/update: 2012-08-21
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "The Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA) was launched in 2013 with the support of the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) and is being implemented by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Programme works as a platform to mainstream climate change into the Myanmar policy development and reform agenda, but it also supports all on-going actions and activities on climate change from the National Government, Local Authorities, NGOs, Development partners, Civil Society and the Private Sector. This recognizes that climate change, as a global challenge, can only be addressed by an alliance of partners, from local to global level. MCCA is the key platform for this in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA)
Date of entry/update: 2017-04-26
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description: An apocalyptic series of earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis and floods in the region has spooked everyone. Many people have turned to soothsayers and astrologers for advice about any impending natural disasters. But rather than consult the Mayan calender or a fortune-teller, The Irrawaddy reporter Min Naing Thu interviewed Dr Tun Lwin, the former director-general of Burma?s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH). Since his resignation from the DMH in 2009, Tun Lwin has served as a technical adviser to the Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. He also served as a consultant to the Myanmar Red Cross Society, CARE Myanmar, Action Aid Myanmar and Myanmar Egress?s Network Activities Group. He has also been involved with the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), Myanmar Egress, World Vision Myanmar, Global Green and other organizations, focusing primarily on climate change and how to minimize damage caused by natural disasters. Tun Lwin posts many of his articles concerning meteorological issues on his website, Myanmar Climate Change Watch.
Source/publisher: Myanmar Climate Change Watch
Date of entry/update: 2011-03-26
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: Burmese, English
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Description: About 440 results (9 November 2017)
Source/publisher: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Date of entry/update: 2017-11-09
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: About 38,500 results (May 2018)
Source/publisher: Various sources via Youtube
2018-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2018-05-01
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description: "Myanmar Mangroves: between conflict and cyclones Mangroves account for only 0.7 per cent of the Earth's tropical forest area, but they provide a wealth of ecological and socio-economic benefits: nursery habitat for fish species, offering protection against coastal surges associated with storms and tsunamis, and storing carbon Despite their high productivity in providing ecosystem services, over the 20-year period, more than 60 per cent of all mangroves in Myanmar had been permanently or temporarily converted to other uses and in just across Rakhine State, mangrove coverage shrank by 23% from 2000 to 2015. In the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index, out of 183 countries Myanmar is ranked the second most vulnerable to extreme weather events. Conflict and natural resources Since a military coup in 2021, conflict, extractive activities and war economies are impacting the natural environment of Myanmar and placing communities at further risk of displacement and food shortages. The exploitation of mangroves ecosystem and other natural resources as effect of the conflict are actively reducing local people’s capacity to adapt to the frequent natural hazards, cyclones, floods and long term impacts of climate change, threatening civil society’s peaceful cohesion. Implementation of best practices and regulatory and environmental oversight mechanisms is limited, leaving communities with the negative outcomes of extractive activities impacting their land rights, local environment and livelihoods. Cyclones and mangroves ecosystem: 50 years of data The fifty years of data on cyclone tracks impacting the Myanmar coastline show how healthy mangrove forests are the key asset in reducing the force of waves because of the resistance provided by stilt roots as well as the trees' trunks and branches. Mangroves also trap and stabilize sediment and reduce the risk of shoreline erosion - which brings waves closer to habitation by dissipating surface wave energy. Coastal forests can also act as windbreaks in reducing devastation in coastal communities resulting from cyclones..."
Source/publisher: MA-UK Myanmar via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-03
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.78 MB
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Description: "Trend in Landcover and driving factors of change From 2000 to 2020, the area of evergreen broad-leaved forests and deciduous broad-leaved forests in Myanmar decreased, while the area of the rest of the land types increased, with the area of shrubland increasing the most. Specifically, in 2020 areas in Myanmar were dominated by forests (56.64% of the area) and cropland (25.59% of the area). The combined area of the two land types accounts for more than 82% of the total national land area. During 2000–2020, the area of forest in Myanmar has shrunk of −0.36%, and the area of other land types has expanded. Among them, deciduous broad-leaved forest and evergreen broad-leaved forest showed a decreasing trend. Cropland (+0.26%), wetlands and water bodies (+0.85%), and impervious surfaces (+0.91%) all showed a trend of area expansion with the most expanded area being shrubland (+1.00%) and the least expanded area is grassland (+1.19%). In terms of the spatial distribution of land use dynamic degree, the main changes in the first ten years (2000–2010) occurred in the central region, while in the next ten years the changes were most concentrated in the western and southern regions, and then in the eastern region. Studies (ref. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2409) have shown that 60% of the changes is related to direct human activities, and approximately the remaining 40% is indirectly related to climate change. Among the factors that have a more pronounced impact are GDP, population, and urbanization rates. Infrastructure development and logging for commercial purposes have had a significant impact on the country’s forest resources. Since the 1990s, the Myanmar government has promulgated laws and regulations such as “Standards and Indicators for Sustainable Forestry Management”, “Forest Law of the Union of Myanmar”, “Forestry Regulations of the Union of Myanmar”, “Regulations for the Implementation of National Forest Logging” and from April 1 in 2014, a total ban on the export of logs. Laws and regulations can be effective to achieve sustainable development only in combination with improved conditions for livelihoods, farmers and establishing a sustainable forest industry chain. Untap the potential of the local value chains and combine them with a modern forest industry with scientific afforestation, nurturing, logging and high value-added forest products is still a challenge in Myanmar land management.."
Source/publisher: MA-UK Myanmar via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-03
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 581.42 KB
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Description: "Financial Cost of Natural Hazards Myanmar’s economic and social vulnerabbility to disasters is the highest in the ASEAN region. The annual expected loss due to natural hazards as a percentage of GDP in Myanmar is 0.9 percent, compared to 0.8 percent (the Philippines and Vietnam) and 0.7 percent (Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Cambodia) for the next four most vulnerable countries. Rural vulnerability is a particular concern in Myanmar since around 70 percent of the country’s 51 million people reside in rural areas, and the subsistence agriculture they depend on for their livelihoods is increasingly subject to natural hazards such as floods and drought Over the past 25 years, Myanmar has suffered 24 major disaster events - earthquakes, floods, and storms - affecting more than 4 million people and causing US$4.7 billion in damages, with the devastating Cyclone Nargis alone leading to the death of over 138,000 people in 2008. Disasters drain government resources: the country on average experiences losses equivalent to 0.9 percent of GDP due to natural disasters every year, with a fiscal burden arising as a consequence of natural disasters is estimated to be 2.5 percent of annual government expenditure, which is the greatest in the ASEAN region. As example, the Ministry of Construction estimated that the government spends US$10–20 million on road rehabilitation after floods and landslides every year. Of total annual economic losses from natural disasters, on average 89 percent are attributed to storms and 11 percent to earthquakes. Myanmar could face annual average costs for emergency response of US$9 million, and there is a 3.3 percent probability (corresponding to a 1-in-30-year event) that the annual cost of emergency response could exceed US$56 million. Risk Index INFORM Since 2019, the Government of Myanmar has adopted the INFORM Risk Methodology and Index. UNOOCHA led the development of the Myanmar sub-national INFORM Index working with multiple stakeholders who validated the index at a workshop in Nay Pyi Taw on 9 October 2018. The INFORM model presented at township level (Adm. 3) is being used to support the planning for Myanmar Government, development, peace and humanitarian actors. It is currently used for the Myanmar Humanitarian Programme Cycle and coordinated preparedness actions, managing risk and building resilience across the country..."
Source/publisher: MA-UK Myanmar via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-03
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Description: "Estimating settlements exposure to flood risk: Floods in Myanmar occur during the monsoon months in May/June to September/October and include wide spread flood along the major hydrological network and and flash flood at the small rivers and stream. The main cause of wide spread flood is heavy rainfall striking at the head water regime for considerable period (1 to 3 days), the flood wave forming at the head water started to move downward and causing flood along the river up to the deltaic area. The flash flood is caused by heavy rainfall fell on the source and the flood wave move downward swiftly. Observation shows that the percentage of occurrence of floods (exceeding danger level) in medium and large rivers of Myanmar are 6% in June, 23% in July, 49% in August, 14% in September and 8% in October..."
Source/publisher: MA-UK Myanmar via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-03
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 575.76 KB
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Description: "Heavy rainfall has been causing floods in southern Myanmar, in particular in Bago and Yangon regions and Mon State, since 8 October. The overflowing of the Bago River has resulted in both casualties and damage. According to media reports, as of 11 October, there have been five fatalities and 35 people have been injured. Some 27,300 people are reported to have been displaced, including people who had already been displaced and were staying across 47 relief camps. About 2, 800 houses have been damaged. Very heavy rainfall is forecast over the whole of Myanmar over the next 48 hours, making more flooding possible..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
2023-10-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Although water levels have fallen in Bago Region after four days of flooding, nearly 30,000 residents are still sheltering in relief camps and urgently need assistance, according to relief volunteers. On Tuesday, the military regime announced that more than 27,000 flood victims in Bago had entered 47 relief camps since Saturday (October 7). More heavy rain was forecast for Bago on Wednesday and Thursday. Flood levels in low-lying areas initially rose above 1.5 meters but had fallen to 0.9 meters on Wednesday. A local volunteer said Bago City’s west side was still submerged but floodwater had receded from other urban areas. “Although the flooding has subsided, we are not letting people return home. Their houses need to be cleaned before they go back,” a volunteer told The Irrawaddy. Bago Region suffers seasonal flooding but the current crisis is the worst in 60 years, submerging 80 percent of Bago City and leaving at least one resident dead, according to locals. “We have to travel by boat in some places. People can’t walk in some areas although the flood level has fallen,” said U Tun Myat Nyunt, head of the Wonyan Hmue rescue foundation. He said that around 20,000 people in three wards that had never suffered flooding before – Mhaw Kan, Ponnar Su, and Socialist – are still in need of assistance. “We are delivering drinking water and food. Currently, drinking water sources are scarce,” U Tun Myat Nyunt told The Irrawaddy. To the southwest, flood victims in Hlegu Township on the outskirts of Yangon Region remain in relief camps as they wait for floods to recede, according to camp volunteers. “Food and medicine supplies are urgently needed for people in Bago and Hlegu affected by the floods,” the Myanmar Red Cross Society said. Meanwhile Bago residents said that villages near the city are still submerged and require emergency assistance..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2023-10-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Deep Depression Condition According to the observations at (05:30) hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression which crossed to Bangladesh Coast near Khepupara has moved West-Northwestwards and reached to inland of West Bengal, India and it is likely continue to move West-Northwestwards and weaken gradually. General caution Under the influence of the deep depression and vigorous monsoon, occassional squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (45) m.p.h. Occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (12-15) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and (9-11) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts during next (24) hours. Rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in the whole country with regionally heavyfalls in Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States and isolated heavyfalls in Upper Sagaing, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin State during next (24) hours. Advisory Under the influence of the deep depression and vigorous monsoon, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-08-02
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 4.97 MB
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Description: "Highlights Communities continue to clean up and are assessing the damage inflicted by Cyclone Mocha. Almost 5.4 million people are estimated to have been in the path of the cyclone across Rakhine and the Northwest. Of these, early estimates indicate that nearly 3.2 million are considered to be most vulnerable and are considered likely to have humanitarian needs. Public infrastructure, including hospitals, banks and religious buildings, was badly damaged across the impact zone. Health, relief items, shelter, clean water, sanitation and hygiene needs are being reported across the board. In-kind food assistance, rather than cash, is being requested by the affected people as prices for key commodities have gone up exponentially. Explosive ordnance risks are high in conflict-affected rural areas where landmines may have shifted during flooding and as people have been on the move to safer areas. Humanitarian partners continue with their field observations in various locations in Sittwe and other townships. Rapid needs assessments (RNAs) and some preliminary distributions will start once approval is granted in six priority townships in Rakhine, which are considered most affected. More than 1,200 houses are reported to be completely or partially destroyed in townships across Chin. Severe flooding has affected more than 100,000 people in villages in Magway and Sagaing. Floodwaters have damaged infrastructure and agricultural fields and washed away animals and personal belongings. An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impact of the cyclone and subsequent flooding. The pre-existing US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded which does not yet include the cost of responding to cyclone Mocha. Situation Overview Significant information gaps still exist. Broken communications lines continue to hinder connections with affected communities, and partners report that some villages are still completely cut off from the internet. By the end of 16 May, telephone lines have partially been restored which will facilitate communication with affected communities and between humanitarian personnel. In many townships in Rakhine, as well as in Paletwa township in southern Chin, a number of organizations continue to face challenges in establishing contact with their staff and partners. Almost 5.4 million people are estimated to have been in the path of the cyclone, enduring winds in excess of 90 kmph across Rakhine and the Northwest. Of these, nearly 3.2 million are considered to be most vulnerable to the cyclone impact based on analysis of shelter quality, food insecurity and coping capacity. This group is highly likely to have humanitarian needs in the wake of the cyclone. There are local reports of possible deaths and of people being missing, including IDPs. The UN and its partners are working to start rapid needs assessments as soon as access is granted to better understand the impact of the disaster. Negotiations for access are ongoing. Reports continue to come in of immediate needs for relief items, shelter, in-kind food, health and WASH support. Concern about waterborne disease outbreaks is high, and close monitoring will be critical. Explosive ordnance risk education and hygiene awareness will also be required, along with psychological support. Survivors have been sharing harrowing tales of their experiences at the height of the cyclone and their concerns about the rebuilding challenges ahead. “I moved to the evacuation site with my family, seeking safety. After the storm subsided, I went back alone to check on our house. It was completely destroyed. Those who stayed in the camp told me that it was horrible and that their houses were destroyed; they were stranded, unsure where to seek refuge amid these difficult conditions. The camp itself was submerged in water. Several people sustained injuries and are in need of medical care. The people need clean water and food. We also need support to rebuild our houses so we can come back,” shared one of the IDP in Dar Paing Rohingya camp..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-05-16
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.25 MB (5 pages) - Original versions
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Description: "This Situation Update is provided by the AHA Centre for use of the ASEAN Member States and relevant stakeholders. The information presented is collected from various sources, including but not limited to ASEAN Member States’ Government Agencies, UN, IFRC, NGOs, Humanitarian and Dialogue Partners, and News Organisations. Note: Information contained in this document are additional information since the AHA Centre Situation Update #2 (14 May 2023) and until today (16 May 2023 at 1700 HRS UTC+7). You may refer to Situation Update #1 and Situation Update #2 for the previous information. 1. SUMMARY METEOROLOGICAL HISTORY. Tropical Cyclone MOCHA, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale), made its landfall on 14 May around 1300 HRS UTC+7, in Myanmar landmass, with maximum sustained winds of 250 km/h, and wind gusts up to 305 km/h (ASEAN DMRS). According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) Myanmar, the banding features of the TC MOCHA crossing Rakhine Coast, near Sittwe, was observed starting on 14 May 2023 at 1000 HRS UTC+7, crossing near Paletwa, Chin State starting on 14 May 2023 at 1800 HRS UTC+7, near Matupi, Chin State starting on 14 May at 2200HRS UTC+7, near Katha, Upper Sagaing Region on 15 May at 0600 HRS UTC+7, and crossed Myanmar-China border on 15 May at 1000 HRS UTC+7. PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE: a. As mentioned in the statement of the ASEAN Foreign Minister on the impact of TC MOCHA on Myanmar, ASEAN Member States stand ready to support disaster relief efforts and delivery of humanitarian assistance, including the deployment of the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT). The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also encourage Myanmar to activate the role of the Secretary-General as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG- AHAC) to ensure the overall objective of effective and timely response to the disaster’s impact is achieved, with the assistance of the AHA Centre. b. A total of 17 townships in Rakhine State and 4 townships in Chin State have been declared by the Government of Myanmar as Natural Disaster-affected areas due to Tropical Cyclone MOCHA..."
Source/publisher: ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
2023-05-16
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.24 MB
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Description: "In Numbers At least 800,000 people in the direct path of the cyclone will need emergency food assistance in Myanmar, according to initial estimates that could still increase1 960,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remain at risk and continue to receive WFP assistance. 250km/h winds were inflicted by Cyclone Mocha. Highlights In Myanmar, WFP is mobilizing emergency food and cash assistance for at least 800,000 people affected by the cyclone . Figures could still increase following assessments. In Bangladesh, WFP provided 28,000 Bangladeshis in Teknaf with cash before the cyclone struck, and 6,000 Rohingya refugees with fortified biscuits and hot meals immediately after. WFP is working to resuming its regular assistance..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
2023-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 333 KB
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Description: "Relief International is mobilizing immediate assistance to address the catastrophic aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, a deadly storm that has made landfall in Bangladesh and Myanmar. The cyclone poses a particularly grave threat to the stateless Rohingya community and host communities, who are already living in extremely vulnerable conditions. With approximately 1 million Rohingya refugees seeking shelter in massively overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the situation is dire. Most reside in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters on precarious hilled slopes, which are only able to withstand wind speeds of up to approximately 24 mph. Unfortunately, Cyclone Mocha’s winds are expected to reach an alarming 175 mph, rendering the shelters highly susceptible to destruction. The low-lying areas of the camps are anticipated to flood rapidly, further exacerbating the crisis by destroying shelters and education facilities. Relief International remains committed to providing updates as the events unfold and the full extent of the impact becomes clear. Aleksander Kuzmanovic, Country Director for Relief International in Myanmar, has stated, “In Myanmar, Relief International is currently responding by providing immediate support to evacuation centers in the townships of Myebon and Kyaukphyu. We are distributing essential food and water items to approximately 5,000 people for the next four days. As of 12 noon local time, all staff members are accounted for and safe. Due to damage to communication towers in Sittwe, our communication channels are currently limited. The area is still within the eyewall of the storm, and we anticipate the storm to start diminishing from approximately 18.00h local time.” Nazrul Islam, Deputy Country Director at Relief International in Bangladesh, highlights the catastrophic impact the cyclone will have on the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar refugee camp. Islam said, “Families already living in fragile homes will be devastated by the storm, with wind speeds predicted to reach 180 kmph. Refugee families in landslide-prone areas and patients with critical conditions are being relocated, while solid structures within the camp are being made available as temporary shelters. Relief International’s Mobile Medical Teams are prepared to respond to emergency needs. We are also ready to provide medical equipment, medicines, emergency vehicles, food stocks, and shelter. However, additional funding will be urgently required to address the long-lasting impact of this very severe cyclone.” Relief International has been serving communities in Myanmar for over 15 years, providing essential healthcare consultations to 48,000 individuals annually and delivering vital protection and support services to 50,000 people per year. In Bangladesh, Relief International has been actively working for nearly two decades, providing protection and support services to 68,000 Rohingya refugees. Our organization extends 116,000 healthcare consultations annually to those who have fled violence and persecution, as well as to members of the host communities. Relief International is only able to respond rapidly to communities in crisis thanks to the support of our donors. Donations to www.ri.org/donate help provide critical aid, including medical assistance, essential items, and food supplies as well as support for long-term recovery to communities affected by Cyclone Mocha, and many other crises across the globe..."
Source/publisher: Relief International
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (03:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over the East Central Bay of Bengal has moved North- Northeastwards and centered at about (260) Nautical miles Northwest of Coco Island, (215) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Hainggyigyun, (160) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Sittwe, (390) Nautical miles North-Northwest of Port Blair (India) and (210) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). The present stage of the Storm is coded red stage. Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (18.0) degree North and Longitude (91.2) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (938) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (125-135) miles per hour at (03:30) hrs MST today. During next (36) hours forecast The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and may start to cross Rakhine Coasts today morning and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around today afternoon as a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. General caution Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023). From today morning, frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (16-20) feet in off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Deltaic Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (10-14) feet in off and along Deltaic Coasts. The maximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States. When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State. Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (05:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over the East Central Bay of Bengal has moved North-Northeastwards and centered at about (135) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Sittwe, (145) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Kyaukpyu, (235) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Hainggyigyun and (180) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). The present stage of the Storm is coded red stage. Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (18.5) degree North and Longitude (91.2) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (938) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (125-135) miles per hour at (05:30) hrs MST today. During next (36) hours forecast The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost band start to cross the Rakhine Coasts and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around today afternoon as a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. General caution Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023). During next (24)hrs, frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (16-20) feet in off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Deltaic Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (10-14) feet in off and along Deltaic Coasts. The maximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States. When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State. Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Description: "Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (07:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over the East Central Bay of Bengal has moved Northeastwards and now lies over East Central Bay and adjoining Northeast Bay of Bengal centered at about (120) Nautical miles Southwest of Sittwe, (130) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Kyaukpyu, (235) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Hainggyigyun and (165) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). The present stage of the Storm is coded red stage. Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (18.7) degree North and Longitude (91.4) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (931) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (130-137) miles per hour at (07:30) hrs MST today. During next (36) hours forecast The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost band start to cross the Rakhine Coasts and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around today afternoon as a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. General caution Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023). During next (24)hrs, frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (16-20) feet in off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in off and along Deltaic Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (10-14) feet in off and along Deltaic Coasts. The maximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States. When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State. Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Description: "Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (09:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over Northeast Bay and adjoining East Central Bay of Bengal has moved Northeastwards and centered at about (100) Nautical miles Southwest of Sittwe,(115) Nautical miles West- Southwest of Kyaukpyu, (240) Nautical miles Northwest of Hainggyigyun (Myanmar) and (150) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). The banding features of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Stormis crossing Rakhine Coast, near Sittwe (Myanmar), the present stage of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm is coded brown stage. Position of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (19.0) degree North and Longitude (91.6) degree East, centre pressure of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (938) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (130-137) miles per hour at (09:30) hrs MST today. During next (36) hours forecast The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and the outermost banding featuresofcyclonic storm is crossing Rakhine Coast, the centre of cyclonic storm will forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around afternoon of today as aExtremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. Thereafter it is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway, Sagaing Regions and Kachin State as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. General caution Due to the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Kachin, Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw and Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023). Frequently squalls with very rough seas will be experienced off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (110-120) m.p.h and wave height will be about (16-20) feet off and along Rakhine Coast and frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced off and along Deltaic, surface wind speed in squalls may reach (50-70) m.p.h and wave height will be about (10-14) feet off and along Deltaic during next (24) hours. Themaximum wind speed may reach (110-120) mph in Rakhine State, (70-90) mph in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Bago, Yangon Regions and Kachin, Shan, Kayah States. When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (16)ft to (20)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Kyaukpyu District and Maungdaw District, Rakhine State. Under the influence of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Description: "(Myanmar, 14 May 2023)- The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are standing ready to provide lifesaving disaster assistance to communities hit by Cyclone Mocha which is forecast to make landfall in Myanmar’s Rakhine State later today. “Communities are bracing for the arrival of this extremely severe cyclone which is expected to be packing winds gusting to 210 kmph when it crosses the coast,” Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. Ramanathan Balakrishnan said. The cyclone is forecast to bring strong winds and significant storm surge to coastal areas in Rakhine and evacuations of low-lying areas are already well underway through local authorities. The large weather system is expected to then move inland, bringing heavy rain in areas where there is a high risk of landslides and flooding. Even before the cyclone, an estimated 6 million people are already in humanitarian need in the states where impacts are currently projected (Rakhine, Chin, Magway and Sagaing). Collectively, these states in the country’s west host 1.2 million displaced people, many of whom are fleeing conflict and are living in the open without proper shelter. It will also be a dangerous 24 hours for hundreds of thousands of refugees in camps in Bangladesh who are also likely to face strong winds and heavy rain as the cyclone passes just over the border in Myanmar. “For a cyclone to hit an area where there is already such deep humanitarian need is a nightmare scenario, impacting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people whose coping capacity has been severely eroded by successive crises,” Mr Balakrishnan said. The humanitarian community activated its Emergency Response Preparedness Plan at the start of the week and has been engaging with all stakeholders to ensure readiness to respond. Aid organizations have been working around the clock to get humanitarian assistance to the areas most likely to be impacted and make sure affected communities know how to keep themselves safe. “We have done everything we can to prepare by pre-positioning personnel and available stocks across the affected area so that we are ready to respond as soon as the cyclone has passed. Access to affected people and increased funding will be critical to making this assistance possible over the critical days ahead,” the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i noted. The Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan.) is less than 10 per cent funded with some essential sectors not yet receiving any funding yet this year. “An urgent injection of funding is desperately needed so that we can ensure no one is left behind as a result of this cyclone but also so that we can keep responding to the 17.6 million people already in need as a result of other crises nationwide. I urge donors to give generously in support of the people of Myanmar at this difficult time,” Mr Balakrishnan said..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Description: "Highlights Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha crossed the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township in Myanmar at lunchtime on 14 May (local time) packing winds estimated at around 250 kmph, making it one of the strongest cyclones on record in the country. Heavy rains, storm surge and strong winds have been recorded across the affected areas throughout the day with flooding in low-lying areas of Rakhine, particularly in and around the state capital, Sittwe. Thousands of people spent the day sheltering in evacuation centres and in relatives’ houses inland from the coast, where they will remain tonight until the winds subside. The ongoing wild weather in Rakhine and telecommunications interruptions mean it has not yet been possible to assess the full magnitude of the disaster, but early reports suggest the damage is extensive and needs among already vulnerable communities, particularly displaced people, will be high. The UN and its humanitarian partners have spent the week preparing for the cyclone’s arrival and have been pre-positioning stocks and personnel ready to assess and respond to needs as soon as it is safe to do so. With the cyclone now losing intensity and moving inland, humanitarian teams plan to begin this work tomorrow. An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impacts of the cyclone and subsequent flooding. To date, the US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan is only 10 per cent funded. Situation Overview Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha made landfall at 1230hrs on 14 May, crossing the coast between Kyaukpyu township (close to Sittwe) in Myanmar and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh with stronger than expected winds. The cyclone approached the coast with maximum sustained wind speeds of roughly 250 kmph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Storm surge estimated at 3-3.5 meters has inundated low lying areas in Rakhine and the adjoining southeast Bangladesh coast this afternoon, with significant water entering Sittwe around 1400hrs, flooding many parts of the town. Extremely strong winds have knocked down power lines, uprooted trees, and damaged and destroyed houses. Communications with the affected areas are currently limited after extensive damage to telecommunications towers during the cyclone. Partners are reporting slow or non-existent internet, with zero connectivity in some areas which is hampering the collection of information on impacts tonight. Early reports indicate significant damage to houses and other infrastructure in Sittwe and Gwa townships, including roofs being torn off homes. Local media reported people unable to leave their homes in Sittwe due to the storm surge and rising water. Evacuations of displacement camps and residential areas in low-lying took place prior to the cyclone’s arrival but it is not clear if everyone in the path of the cyclone was able to reach these sites and at least some of these evacuation centres were damaged by the strong winds at the peak of the cyclone. There is no confirmation yet of damage levels in the northern townships of Maungdaw and Buthidaung where more than half of the shelters are either temporary or semi-permanent, placing households at very high risk in case they were not able to reach evacuation centres. No confirmed reports have yet been received of significant damage in Ayeyarwady. The weather system is weakening as it continues to move towards the country’s Northwest. It will weaken into a depression by 15 May over Sagaing before moving towards Kachin. Heavy rainfall and winds are expected over the coming days as it moves across the country through areas that are highly prone to flooding and/or landslides..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Sub-title: Call for urgent international action to support Myanmar for emergency response to Cyclone Mocha
Description: "The powerful cyclone Mocha made its landfall through around Sittwe city, Rakhine Coastal Region with maximum wind gusts of (120) miles per hour on this morning 11:30 am local time. It was reported that there were (5) deaths and some injured cases in Rakhine, Shan, Mandalay and Ayeyarwaddy due to the cyclone and its follow-up incidents by 6:00 pm local time today. Though it is too early to gauge the magnitude of the devastation, it is likely to bring a massive humanitarian catastrophe to Myanmar where several thousand population are in dire need of humanitarian assistance due to the inhumane suppression of the military junta and its subordinates. Welcoming the measures and efforts taken by UN agencies and aid organizations, it is important not to miss providing relief assistances to the most vulnerable community including IDPs all over the country, particularly for those who live in the areas controlled by revolution alliances and ethnic resistance organizations. The majority of high risk areas to be affected by Mocha are no longer under the full control of the junta military such as Rakhine, Chin and most of the rural areas in Sagaing. Magway. It is estimated that military junta will hamper rescue and humanitarian operations of humanitarian actors from reaching affected people in those areas. Using the threat of cyclone as an advantage, the junta launched military operations in Sagaing and Thanintari until May 13 causing the life-threatening situation for the IDPs. On the other hand, as an accountable and responsible true government of Myanmar, National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar organized the Emergency Operation Coordination Committee (EOCC) for the effective engagement with international community and humanitarian actors in response to the potential impacts of the cyclone Mocha. We had made preparations in Sagaing. Magway, Bego, Ayeyarwaddy and Thanintari regions in collaboration with local humanitarian actors and revolution alliances. Assistance for preparedness and emergency response were also provided through local community based organisations and ethnic representatives in Rakhine and Chin. In addition, we already engaged with the community based organisations who are working for the Rohingya community in Rakhine State and border area. Emergencyrelief operations have been started and will raise the support accordingly based on the findings of initial assessments. We welcome the international actors to collaborate with EOCC for providing relief assistances and rescue mission to the vulnerable community in Myanmar. The initial situation report is released together with this call and you may reach us at [email protected] and signal naumber +66 97 089 0918 for any inquires..."
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Description: "Note: Information contained in this document are additional information since the AHA Centre Situation Update #1 (12 May 2023) and until today (14 May 2023 at 1700 HRS UTC+7). You may refer to Situation Update #1 (12 May 2023) for the previous information. 1. SUMMARY a. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION. Tropical Cyclone MOCHA, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale), has made its landfall today, 14 May afternoon, in Myanmar landmass, with maximum sustained winds of 250 km/h, and wind gusts up to 305 km/h. According to the latest available forecast, TC MOCHA is headed Northeast at about 26 km/h, and is expected to weaken over the next 24 hours. b. LANDFALL: According to Department of Meteorology and Hydrology at 1430 HRS UTC+7, TC MOCHA has crossed Rakhine Coast, near Sittwe (Myanmar). The present stage of the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm is coded brown stage. Brown Color Emergency Stage means the storm is crossing Myanmar Coasts currently. After made its landfall in the coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around afternoon of 14 May as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm, MOCHA is likely to continue to move North-Northeastwards towards Chin State and Magway Region as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm; then towards Sagaing Regionas a Cyclonic Storm; and towards Kachin State as a deep land depression..."
Source/publisher: ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
2023-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-14
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Description: "Tropical Cyclone MOCHA is likely to cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Sittwe (Myanmar) on 14 May with maximum sustained wind speed of 150-160 km/h with gusts up to 175 km/h. Coasts and offshore islands are expected to be inundated with 5-7 feet tidal surge. In Myanmar, 285 000 displaced people are directly exposed to the Cyclone in Rakhine and Chin. Thousands of families have been pre-evacuated. There are already about 6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.2 million people displaced in the Northwest who are already living in precarious conditions in camps, displacement sites or in forests without proper shelter. In Bangladesh, 2.8 million people in Bandarban, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati are to be evacuated. Refugees’ camps hosting one million Rohingya refugees could be significantly affected. Preparedness activities are still ongoing in terms of prepositioning of stocks and resources. Flights to Cox’s Bazar are cancelled. In India, heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in the northeast states..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
2023-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-13
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Description: "Highlights Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha continues to intensify in the Bay of Bengal and will likely cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township, Myanmar’s Rakhine State during the afternoon on 14 May with winds gusting up to 200 kmph. Heavy rain and strong winds associated with the cyclone are expected to cause flooding across Rakhine, where many townships and displacement sites are in low-lying areas and highly prone to flooding. Many communities are already moving to higher ground to designated evacuation centers or to safer areas staying with relatives. Humanitarian organizations are gearing up for a large-scale emergency response at the national level, as well as in Rakhine and the Northwest (Chin, Mayway, Sagaing), pending timely and unhindered access. Advocacy on access and supply importation issues is underway. Refresher training sessions have been conducted on Rapid Needs Assessments to over 400 humanitarian actors across Rakhine and the Northwest in the past two days to ensure a coordinated response. An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impacts of the cyclone and any subsequent flooding. To date, the US$764M Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 10 per cent funded Situation Overview As of 13 May, cyclone Mocha has moved further north-northeastwards over the Bay of Bengal and intensified to an extremely severe cyclone. It is very likely to move further north-northeastwards and intensify further over the east-central Bay of Bengal. It is forecast to cross the coast between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu township in Myanmar around noon on 14 May. The cyclone is expected to land with a maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph, gusting to over 200 kmph. Thereafter it is expected to continue further north-northeastwards towards Chin and Sagaing in Myanmar which are at high risk from landslides. Flood warnings are being issued in many areas across all townships in Rakhine with storm surge as high as 3 meters. After the local authorities issued evacuation advice for low-lying and coastal areas in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Myebon, Pauktaw, and Sittwe townships in Rakhine, more than 100,000 people, including some displaced people, moved to designated evacuation shelters by 13 May. Many others have moved to stay with relatives on higher ground. In the Northwest, as of 13 May several buildings, including monasteries, schools, and religious sites were designated as evacuation centers by local authorities in light of the expected impact of cyclone Mocha in Chin, Magway and Sagaing. “For the past two days, we have seen many families leaving the low-lying areas of Sittwe town in tuk-tuks and small trucks moving to safer places. They are seeking safety inland in other townships or in the designated evacuation sites in Sittwe town. During our visit to one of the monasteries in town today, we met with families who already moved to the monastery. They moved with limited belongings and dry food for a few nights,” shared one of the OCHA field team members in Sittwe. OCHA is following up with the local authorities to ensure all communities are relocated before the cyclone makes landfall. Flights to Rakhine were already cancelled and Sittwe airport is now closed..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-13
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Description: "BANGKOK - The World Food Programme (WFP) is closely monitoring Cyclone Mocha, which is expected to make landfall this Sunday in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Working with partners, WFP is gearing up for a large-scale emergency response, putting in place contingency plans, and prepositioning food and relief supplies, vehicles, and emergency equipment. Heavy rainfall is forecast, with the possible risk of floods and landslides, which could impact hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in areas likely to be in the cyclone’s trajectory. In Myanmar, WFP has pre-positioned enough food to cover the needs of more than 400,000 people in Rakhine State and neighbouring areas for one month. In Bangladesh, WFP fortified biscuits and 230 mt of food stock are ready to be dispatched if needed in and around the camps for the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. “We are preparing for the worst, while hoping for the best. Cyclone Mocha is heading to areas burdened by conflict, poverty, and weak community resilience. Many of the people most likely to be affected are already reliant on regular humanitarian assistance from WFP. They simply cannot afford another disaster,” said Sheela Matthew, WFP Myanmar Deputy Country Director. Anticipating interruptions to transport and telecommunications services, WFP teams are also putting in place systems to serve the broader humanitarian community with their preparations and potential response to the cyclone. “The Rohingya refugees are extremely vulnerable to climate shocks, given how disaster-prone the area is and the poor living conditions in the camps. We ask the donor community to continue supporting them in getting through this cyclone and also many other challenges they face, including reduced food assistance due to shrinking donor funding,” said Simone Parchment, WFP Bangladesh Deputy Country Director. Unimpeded humanitarian access to support communities in need will be critical in responding to any immediate impacts of the cyclone and for the longer-term recovery process..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme (Rome)
2023-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-13
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Description: "Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, May 12, 2023 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that Cyclone Mocha is set to strike Cox's Bazar refugee camp, home to over one million Rohingya refugees. The cyclone's expected landfall this weekend could cause severe damage. Still reeling from a devastating fire in March that destroyed more than 2,600 shelters and critical infrastructure, over 850,000 refugees risk losing their homes and livelihoods. Strong wind, heavy rains, and subsequent flash floods and mudslides could destroy shelters, community centers, and health clinics, depriving thousands of essential services and humanitarian aid. Host communities, including Teknaf, Kutubdia, Saint Martin's Island, and nearby areas, may also be heavily affected. In preparation, more than 3,000 Rohingya refugees have been trained to respond to flooding and mudslides. Meanwhile, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is scaling up its emergency response in Cox's Bazar. Three mobile medical teams will be deployed to remote areas in the camps and communities to provide emergency medical treatment. Additionally, a Mobile Protection Unit designed for emergency settings will offer protection services to vulnerable groups such as women, girls, the elderly, and those with disabilities. Hasina Rahman, IRC Bangladesh Director, said, “Time and again, we have seen the devastating impact of extreme weather events in Cox’s Bazar. Since 2017, countless shelters, schools, health clinics and safe spaces for survivors of Gender-Based Violence have been decimated as a result of floods and mudslides, as well as preventable tragedies such as the fire in March this year. “As a low-lying country with major cities in coastal areas, Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change, which makes annual weather events - such as cyclones - more intense and frequent. The impacts - loss of life, destroyed crops, challenges to livelihoods, damage to homes and infrastructure - are often borne by the people and communities who have contributed least to the climate crisis: Bangladesh, for example, emits less than 1% of global CO2 emissions. They are unable to cope with continued weather shocks without support that addresses the effects of climate change, such as early warning systems, anticipatory action, improving infrastructure to protect against flooding, and investment into climate adaptation. “It is crucial to fortify shelters and critical infrastructure against natural disasters. This involves using durable construction materials to strengthen community facilities like child-friendly spaces, learning facilities, and mosques, which serve as safe points during emergencies. Additionally, the Government of Bangladesh needs to develop an inclusive evacuation plan in collaboration with UN agencies, humanitarian organisations, and the refugee and host communities. The plan should prioritise access to emergency shelters, ensuring family unity, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.” The IRC began responding to the Rohingya crisis in August 2017 and launched its response officially in March 2018. With over 400 staff in Bangladesh and operating across 27 camps across the district, our teams provide essential healthcare to the host community as well as Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar, as well as reproductive and maternal healthcare, child protection, education, prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence, and Emergency Disaster Risk Reduction (EDRR)..."
Source/publisher: International Rescue Committee
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-12
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Description: "Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (04:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” over Southeast Bay of Bengal has moved Nearly Northwards. It is centered at about (320) Nautical miles West-Southwest of CoCo Island, (415) Nautical miles Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (520) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (290) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Port Blair (India) and (565) Nautical miles South-South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is coded orange stage. Position of Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (12.8) degree North and Longitude (88.0) degree East, centre pressure of Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (991) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (60-70) miles per hour at (04:30) hrs MST today. During next (3) days forecast Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely to move nearly Northwards during next (6) hours and intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm“MOCHA”over Central Bay of Bengal. It is continue to move North-Northeastwards and forecast to cross Southeast Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) around (14.5.2023). General caution Due to the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw, Upper SagaingRegion and Kachin, Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from today morning to (15.5.2023). From today morning to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (90-110) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (13-16) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (9-12) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts. Due to the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, maximum wind speed may reach (40-45) mph in Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy Regions and Rakhine State during next (24) hours. Due to the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, maximum wind speed may reach (100-110) mph in Rakhine State and (40-60) mph in NayPyiTaw, Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy Regions and Chin State during (13.5.2023) to (15.5.2023). When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (10)ft to (14)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State and (7)ft to (10)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Kyaukpyu District, Rakhine State. Advisory Under the influence of the Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-12
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Description: "Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (17:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”over Central Bay of Bengalhas moved North-Northeastwards and centered at about (290) Nautical miles West of Coco Island, (350) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (425) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (310) Nautical miles Northwest of Port Blair (India) and (475) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Rakhine Coasts, the present stage of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is coded orange stage. Position of Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is located at Latitude (14.4) degree North and Longitude (88.4) degree East, centre pressure of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is (974) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (80-90) miles per hour at (17:30) hrs MST today. During next (3) days forecast The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”is likely continue to move North-Northeastwards and intensify into a Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”over East Central Bay of Bengal during tonight and forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) near Sittwe (Myanmar) as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”around (14.5.2023). General caution Due to the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls in Naypyitaw, Upper Sagaing Region and Kachin, Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States from tonight to (15.5.2023). From tonight to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (90-110) m.p.h and Wave height will be about (14-18) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (9-12) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts. Due to the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, maximum wind speed may reach (100-110) mph in Rakhine State and (40-60) mph in Naypyitaw, Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin State during tonight to (15.5.2023). When crossing the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (12)ft to (16)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State and (9)ft to (12)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Kyaukpyu District, Rakhine State. Under the influence of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, people should be aware of storm surge high, strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas, near small rivers and also domestic flight. The trawlers, vessels and ships do not go out off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-12
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Description: "Sub: Very Severe Cyclonic storm “Mocha” (pronounced as “Mokha”) over Central Bay of Bengal The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Mocha” (pronounced as “Mokha”) over Central and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly north-northeastwards with a speed of 13 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 1430 hours IST of today, the 12th May 2023 over Central Bay of Bengal near latitude 14.3°N and longitude 88.4°E, about 550 km west-northwest of Port Blair, 870 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 800 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar). It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and intensify further into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal during night of today, the 12th May 2023. It is likely to cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), close to Sittwe (Myanmar) around noon of 14th May, 2023 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph..."
Source/publisher: Government of India via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-12
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Description: "Tropical cyclone MOCHA is moving towards western Myanmar and south-eastern Bangladesh. On 12 May at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located over the sea approximately 520 km west of Diglipur Town (North Andaman Island, eastern India), with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h. MOCHA is expected to strengthen and continue northwest over the next three days, possibly making landfall between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State (Myanmar) on 14-15 May. The exposed of population of Myanmar is approximately 3 million people, with Rakhine State anticipated to be the most affected (200,000 people). The exposed of population of Bangladesh is 784,540 people. Myanmar’s Rakhine State is host to large numbers of Internally Displaced People (IDPs), while Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is home to 1 million Rohingya refugees. In Myanmar, the national Disaster Management Centre has been activated and people living in low lying areas in Rakhine State have been advised to evacuate, though only limited evacuations are reported from IDP camps. In Bangladesh, the government-led Disaster Management Committee has been activated and preparations in refugee camps ongoing with local authorities and the Bangladesh Army, including pre-positioning of resources and evacuation plans. On the island of Bhasan Char, over Rohingya 28,000 refugees are being prepared to evacuate to 53 cyclone shelters..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
2023-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-12
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Description: "SUMMARY: a. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION. On 11 May 2023 at 0934 HRS UTC+7, a tropical cyclone warning forecast #1 for Tropical Cyclone One (MOCHA) was issued by Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). On 12 May 2023 at 2000 HRS UTC+7, Tropical Cyclone Mocha, equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale), is located in the N Indian Ocean with maximum sustained winds of 167 km/h, and wind gusts up to 204 km/h. According to the latest available forecast, Mocha is headed North at about 13 km/h and is expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours. b. EXPECTED LANDFALL: Tropical Cyclone Mocha is within 855 km from Myanmar, and the centre is expected to make landfall within the next 46 hour(s), along the shores of/near Chin, as a Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of about 194 km/h (ASEAN DMRS). According to JTWC, Tropical Cyclone MOCHA is expected to reach its peak at 220 km/h or equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, just before making landfall on 14 May 2023..."
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-12
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Description: "(11.5.2023): According to the observations at (06:30)hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression over Southeast Bay of Bengalhas moved North-Northwestwards and intensified into a Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. It is centered at about (365) Nautical miles West-Southwest of CoCo Island, (475) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (615) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (415) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (280) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Port Blair(India) and (665) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). Weather is partly cloudy over the North Bay and Eastcentral Bay of Bengal and cloudy over the Andaman Sea and elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal. Cyclonic Storm Condition According to the observations at (06:30)hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression over Southeast Bay of Bengalhas moved North-Northwestwards and intensified into a Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”. It is centered at about (365) Nautical miles West-Southwest of CoCo Island, (475) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (615) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (415) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (280) Nautical miles West-Southwest of Port Blair(India) and (665) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is coded orange stage. Position of Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, center pressure and wind Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”is located at Latitude (11.0) degree North and Longitude (88.0) degree East, centre pressure of Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”is (998) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (45) miles per hour at (06:30)hrs MST today. During next (4) days forecast Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA” is likely to move North-Northwestwards and intensify into aSevere Cyclonic Storm“MOCHA”around tonight and recurve gradually North-Northeastwards and intensify into aVery Severe Cyclonic Storm“MOCHA”over Central Bay of Bengal around (12.5.2023). Very Severe Cyclonic Storm“MOCHA”is forecast to cross Southeast Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) around (14.5.2023). General caution 1. Due to the Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”, rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady,Taninthayi Regions and Kachin,Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Lower Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Yangon, Ayeyarwady Regions and Chin, Rakhine States and isolated heavy falls inNaypyitaw, Upper Sagaing, BagoRegions andKachin, Shan, Kayin, Mon States from (11.5.2023) to (15.5.2023). 2. Squalls with rough seas are likely at times in Deltaic, Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (35-40) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (8-11) feet in Deltaic, Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts during next (24) hours. From (12.5.2023) to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (80-100) m.p.hand Wave height will be about (13-16) feet in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coast and occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Wave height will be about (9-12) feet in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coasts. 3. The Cyclonic Storm “MOCHA”may leadSoutheast Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar), maximum wind speed may reach (90-10) mph. 4. When crossing the Cyclonic Storm, storm surge height will be (10)ft to (14)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at Sittwe District, Maungdaw District Rakhine State and (7)ft to (10)ft in Estuary and Tributaries at KyaukpyuDistrict,Rakhine State. Advisory Under the influence of the Cyclonic Storm“MOCHA”, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-11
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Description: "(10.5.2023): According to the observations at (12:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Deep Depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal has moved Northwestward. It is centered at about (400) Nautical miles Southwest of CoCo Island, (525) Nautical miles Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (705) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (325) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (285) Nautical miles Southwest of Port-Blair(India) and (760) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).Weather is partly cloudy over the North Bay and Eastcentral Bay of Bengal and cloudy over the Andaman Sea and elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal. Deep Depression Condition According to the observations at (17:30)hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression over Southeast Bay of Bengalhas moved North-Northwestwards and centered at about (395) Nautical miles Southwest of CoCo Island, (520) Nautical miles Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (695) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (350) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (290) Nautical miles Southwest of Port Blair (India) and (730) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the deep depression is coded orange stage. Position of deep depression, center pressure and wind Deep depression is located at Latitude (9.5) degree North and Longitude (88.3) degree East, centre pressure of deep depression is (1000) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (35-40) miles per hour at (17:30)hrs MST today. During next (4) days forecast It is likely to move North-Northwestwards and intensify into a Cyclonic Storm during next (6) hours, aSevere Cyclonic Storm around (11.5.2023)morning and recurve gradually North-Northeastwards and intensify into aVery Severe Cyclonic Storm over Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Central Bay of Bengal around (12.5.2023) morning. It is likely to weaken slightly around (13.5.2023) evening and it is forecast to cross Southeast Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar) around (14.5.2023). General caution Due to the deep depression, rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady,Taninthayi Regions and Kachin,Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally heavyfalls in Lower Sagaing, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States and isolated heavy falls inNaypyitaw, Upper Sagaing, Mandalay Regions and Kachin, Northern Shan States from (11.5.2023) to (15.5.2023). Squalls with rough seas are likely at times Deltaic, Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (35-40) m.p.h from tonight to (11.5.2023). From (12.5.2023) to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (70-80) m.p.hand occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Advisory Under the influence of the Cyclonic Storm, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-11
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Description: "A new tropical cyclone named MOCHA formed over the southern Bay of Bengal on 11 May and started moving north-east toward western Myanmar. On 11 May at 0.00 UTC its centre was located over the sea approximately 460 km west of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India), with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h (tropical storm). MOCHA is forecast to continue northeastward over the Bay of Bengal on 12-13 May, strenghtening. After that, it is expected to make landfall over the area of Sittwe City (the capital Rakhine State, western Myanmar, near south-eastern Bangladesh) with maximum sustained winds up to 165 km/h (tropical cyclone). Over 12-14 May, heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surge are forecast for western and south-western Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
2023-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-11
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Description: "(10.5.2023): According to the observations at (05:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Depression over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal moved Northwestward and still persist. It is centered at about (410) Nautical miles South-Southwest of CoCo Island, (530) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Heinggyigyun, (710) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (310) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (280) Nautical miles Southwest of Port-Blair(India) and (770) Nautical miles Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). Weather is partly cloudy over the North Bay and Eastcentral Bay of Bengal and cloudy over the Andaman Sea and elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal. Depression Condition According to the observations at (05:30)hrs M.S.T today, the Depression over Eastcentral Bay of Bengalmoved Northwestward and still persist. It is centered at about (410) Nautical miles South-Southwest of CoCo Island, (530) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Heinggyigyun, (710) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (310) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (280) Nautical miles Southwest of Port-Blair(India) and (770) Nautical miles Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the depression is coded orange stage. Position of depression, center pressure and wind Depression is located at Latitude (8.9) degree North and Longitude (88.9) degree East, centre pressure of depression is (1002) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (35) miles per hour at (21:30)hrs MST today. During next (5) days forecast It is likely to move North-Northwest and intensified into a Deep Depression over the Southeast Bay of Bengal during next (9) hours, a Cyclonic Storm around tonight, a Severe Cyclonic Storm around (11.5.2023)morning and a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm around (12.5.2023)morning. It is gradually curve towards and it is forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar(Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar)at the Southeast of Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast. General caution Due to the depression, Rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady,Taninthayi Regions and Kachin,Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally and isolated heavy falls in some Regions and States from (11.5.2023) to (15.5.2023). Squalls with rough seas are likely at times Deltaic, Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (35-40) m.p.h from tonight to (11.5.2023). From (12.5.2023) to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (70-80) m.p.h and occassionally squalls with rough seas will be experienced Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Advisory Under the influence of the Cyclonic Storm, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-10
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Description: "(10.5.2023): According to the observations at (12:30) hrs M.S.T today, the Deep Depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal has moved Northwestward. It is centered at about (400) Nautical miles Southwest of CoCo Island, (525) Nautical miles Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (705) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (325) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (285) Nautical miles Southwest of Port-Blair(India) and (760) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).Weather is partly cloudy over the North Bay and Eastcentral Bay of Bengal and cloudy over the Andaman Sea and elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal. Deep Depression Condition According to the observations at (12:30) hrs M.S.T today, the deep depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal has moved Northwestwards and centered at about (400) Nautical miles Southwest of CoCo Island, (525) Nautical miles Southwest of Hainggyigyun, (705) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (325) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (285) Nautical miles Southwest of Port Blair(India) and (760) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the deep depression is coded orange stage. Position of deep depression, center pressure and wind Deep depression is located at Latitude (9.1) degree North and Longitude (88.7) degree East, centre pressure of deep depression is (1000) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (35) miles per hour at (12:30) hrs MST today. During next (5) days forecast It is likely to move North-Northwestwards and intensify into a Cyclonic Storm around tonight, a Severe Cyclonic Storm around (11.5.2023) morning and a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm over Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Central Bay of Bengal around (12.5.2023) morning. It is likely to recurve gradually North-Northeastwards and weaken slightly around (13.5.2023) and it is forecast to cross Southeast Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar). General caution Due to the deep depression, rain or thundershowers will be fairly widespread to widespread in Naypyitaw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally and isolated heavy falls in some Regions and States from (11.5.2023) to (15.5.2023). Squalls with rough seas are likely at times Deltaic, Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (35-40) m.p.h from today afternoon to (11.5.2023). From (12.5.2023) to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced in Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (70-80) m.p.h and occassional squalls with rough seas will be experienced in Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Advisory Under the influence of the Cyclonic Storm, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Depression Condition According to the observations at (21:30)hrs M.S.T today, the Well Marked Low Pressure Area over the Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining South Andaman Sea has intensified into a Depression over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal. It is centered at about (415) Nautical miles South-Southwest of CoCo Island, (540) Nautical miles South-Southwest of Heinggyigyun, (735) Nautical miles South- Southwest of Sittwe, (265) Nautical miles West-Northwest of Nicobar Islands (India), (275) Nautical miles Southwest of Port-Blair(India) and (795) Nautical miles Southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh). It is moving towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coasts, the present stage of the depression is coded orange stage. Position of depression, center pressure and wind Depression is located at Latitude (8.3) degree North and Longitude (89.5) degree East, centre pressure of depression is (1002) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (30) miles per hour at (21:30) hrs MST today. During next (5) days forecast It is likely to move North-Northwest and intensified into a Deep Depression over the Southeast Bay of Bengal around (10.5.2023)morning, a Cyclonic Storm around (10.5.2023) night, a Severe Cyclonic Storm around (11.5.2023) morning and a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm around (11.5.2023)night. It is gradually curve towards and it is forecast to cross between Cox’s Bazar(Bangladesh) and Kyaukphyu (Myanmar)at the Southeast of Bangladesh and Northern Rakhine Coast. General caution Due to the depression, Rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Naypyitaw, Lower Sagaing, Magway, Bago, Yangon, AyeyarwadyRegions and (Southern and Eastern) Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah, Kayin, Mon States with regionally and isolated heavy falls in some Regions and States and scattered to fairly widespread in Upper Sagaing, Mandalay, Taninthayi Regions and Kachin and Northern Shan from (11.5.2023) to (15.5.2023). Squalls with rough seas are likely at times Deltaic, Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (35-40) m.p.h from tonight to (11.5.2023). From (12.5.2023) to (14.5.2023), frequently squalls with rough to very rough seas will be experienced Deltaic, off and along Rakhine Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (70-80) m.p.h and occassionally squalls with rough seas will be experienced Gulf of Mottama, off and along Mon-Tanintharyi Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40-45) m.p.h. Advisory Under the influence of the Cyclonic Storm, people should be awared of strong wind, heavy rain, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas and near small rivers and also domestic flight, trawlers, vessels and ships off and along Myanmar Coasts. Therefore, people should watch the forecasts of The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and make the necessary preparations..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar
2023-05-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "On 21 April, strong winds and a very large tornado hit central Myanmar (including the capital city Naypyitaw), causing several wind-related incidents resulting in casualties and severe damage. According to media reports, as of 24 April, there are eight fatalities, nearly 130 injured people and more than 230 destroyed houses across Aung Myin Kone and Tadau villages (Naypyitaw capital city greater area, central Myanmar). Moderate rainfall is forecast over the Naypyitaw region over the next 24 hours, but no more strong wind is predicted..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-04-24
Date of entry/update: 2023-04-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Following the Feb. 1, 2021 coup, Myanmar is in turmoil. The militarized state is not fragile or failing—it has failed. No amount of either fighting or negotiation will put the country back together. Before the coup, the state had little credibility or legitimacy for many ethnic nationality citizens, who often experienced the Myanmar government and army as violent and predatory invaders of ethnic homelands. Following the coup, the country has no legitimate—or even minimally effective—central government. A generation of young people from the towns and cities has joined forces with a handful of ethnic armed organizations (EAOs, sometimes referred to as ethnic resistance organizations) to oppose the junta, known as the State Administration Council (SAC). People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) established following the coup have proved extraordinarily resilient. As the conflict drags on, those PDFs aligned with EAOs seem most likely to endure. The struggle will be particularly intense in Sagaing and Magwe regions, where PDFs and People’s Administrative Bodies, some aligned with the National Unity Government (NUG), hold on in the face of Myanmar military onslaughts and horrific abuses. It seems highly unlikely that the SAC junta will be able to repeat even the limited achievements of the previous SLORC-SPDC regime, by imposing relatively unchallenged military rule over large parts of the country. The Spring Revolution demonstrates extraordinary resilience, and resistance. However, even if reviled junta supremo Min Aung Hlaing were removed, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the Myanmar military agrees to quit politics and “return to the barracks” as the EAOs and NUG have demanded, unless a reform movement emerges within the military. Instead, this conflict will likely be protracted. Attempts to respond pragmatically, based on assumptions that the SAC will eventually prevail and consolidate control, are therefore not well founded. Although countries in the region may be loath to acknowledge it, Myanmar is already caught in a downward spiral. Rather than continuing in denial, policy-makers should accept the realities of post-coup Myanmar: Min Aung Hlaing and his thugs have destroyed an already weak and fragile state. The balkanization of Myanmar is well under way. The challenge now is how to work with this empirical reality, rather than pretending that eventually things will return to normal, under one kind of central government or another. The new realities are messy—but not without opportunity. Instead of shoring up a failed state, the challenge is to identify and support creative responses to this new situation. Local and regional political structures and actors are emerging from the chaos, while longer-established EAOs have found new relevance and vitality. These include EAOs in northern Myanmar which enjoy varying but close relations with China. One key question is under what circumstances they will receive assistance from the giant northern neighbor, in order to reinforce already substantial political autonomy. In exchange for patronage from China (guns, roads and bridges, vaccines) the northern EAOs are under pressure not to attack the SAC, and to protect Chinese assets in Myanmar. Other new actors include criminal syndicates, and those bent on making quick profits by looting the country’s still extensive natural resources. However, many individuals, groups and networks across the country are deeply committed to building a better, fairer Myanmar based on respect, inclusion and a commitment to basic rights. A new federal Myanmar is emerging—painfully, from the bottom up. Federalism has long been considered an important tool for resolving Myanmar’s protracted state-society conflicts and achieving self-determination for ethnic nationality nations. Federalism is a tool for self-determination, rather than an end in itself. It has often been discussed in terms of the need to revise or replace the 2008 constitution, usually in a top-down (“blueprint style”) manner. While constitutional change is arguably necessary, federalism can also be seen as an “emergent phenomenon”, developing out of the existing practices of communities and EAOs, civil society organizations (CSOs) and state-based bodies such as the Karenni State Consultative Council. Before the coup, the challenge in Myanmar was to federalize a constitutionally unified (albeit deeply contested) state, following decades of mostly “low intensity” civil war. Since the latest military takeover, the challenge is to rebuild Myanmar through a new federating process, including important new stakeholders. These issues are particularly relevant in relation to a crisis which affects our entire planet: climate change, which will further destabilize Myanmar in the near future. Key EAOs and CSOs have globally important roles to play in mitigating and adapting to the challenge of climate change. Taking just one example, the best remaining forests in mainland Southeast Asia are located in Kachin and Karen areas. These are key resources in mitigating climate change through “drawing down” carbon into the soil, as well as sites of incredible biodiversity. The administration and services delivered by EAOs and affiliated CSOs include natural resource management and disaster response, providing access to justice, and the delivery of impressive health and education services to vulnerable communities. These are the building blocks of a new (emergent), and networked federalism in Myanmar—based on the autonomy and historical sovereignty of ethnic nations and their natural and human resources. This localization of disaster response is particularly important, given likely reductions in international aid for countries like Myanmar, as climate change and other crises weaken the economic resources and commitment of Western countries—the traditional donors for most aid programs. The challenge is to support resilient “localization” while there is still time. Myanmar as we have known it may not recover for many decades. The country may be a harbinger for the coming failure of “fragile states” across the world, in the face of escalating crises. We are moving into a period of worldwide insecurity and suffering, likely characterized by widespread food shortages. Those who are not deeply alarmed by these scenarios are probably not paying attention. Nevertheless, crises bring opportunities. In the case of Myanmar, these include discarding a failed state, and supporting a new type of adaptive—or “emergent”—federalism. In practical terms, probably the most urgent need is to provide direct financial and technical support to anti-junta EAOs. This should include military equipment, so that EAOs can protect civilians from the SAC’s deadly airstrikes. Ashley South is an independent analyst, and a Research Fellow at Chiang Mai University, specializing in politics and humanitarian issues in Myanmar and Southeast Asia. His views are his own..."
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Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2023-04-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Helene Maria Kyed & Justine Chambers Violent conflict and state oppression in Myanmar demonstrates the importance of placing conflict analysis and people-centred approaches at the centre of international programming on climate change and environmental protection. In 2021, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that the impacts of the climate crisis will be particularly pronounced in poor and conflict-affected countries. Research also identifies climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’ that, in combination with socio-political factors like poverty, state incapacity and inequality, can intensify violent conflict. However, gaps remain in how to address the increase in climate change vulnerabilities in contexts with violent conflict and state oppression. This is evident in Myanmar, where a historically repressive military regime is threatening to cause longer-term ‘climate collapse’. Since a military coup in February 2021, extractive activities and war economies are destroying the natural environment and placing communities at further risk of displacement, violent persecution and food shortages. These effects of conflict are reducing local people’s capacity to adapt to climate change and threatening civil society’s efforts to protect the environment. Under such conditions, climate change programming needs to place conflict analysis at its centre stage and substitute state-centric and purely technical approaches with people-centred ones, in alignment with the localisation of aid agenda. *Climate change vulnerabilities in Myanmar In the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index, out of 183 countries Myanmar is ranked the second most vulnerable to extreme weather events. With more frequent heatwaves, floods, cyclones, droughts and rising sea levels that impact production, food security and land scarcity, climate change poses a severe threat to livelihoods and sustainable development. Myanmar is simultaneously rich in natural resources and home to some of the largest remaining areas of contiguous biodiverse-rich rainforests in Southeast Asia, crucial for global climate stabilisation due to their absorption of carbon dioxide. For generations, indigenous communities have protected these forests using local ecological knowledge systems. However, these systems have been perpetually undermined by top-down conservation interventions, extractive activities and conflict dynamics. Myanmar provides evidence that climate change vulnerabilities cannot be attributed to global changes in temperatures and weather patterns alone, but also to issues related to governance, natural resource use and conflict. The ability of local communities to mitigate and respond to climate change has been severely hampered by decades of authoritarian rule, agrarian land struggles and long running armed conflicts, which have worsened since the coup. Escalations since the military coup Research shows that, since the coup, the military has turned to the country’s vast natural wealth to fund its regime and violent operations. This reinforces a long history of military exploitation that was only partly tempered during a ten-year reform period. Satellite data reveals the depletion of large patches of rainforest since the coup. Civil society organisations (CSOs) also report a rapid increase in unregulated mining, which is polluting waterways, decimating forests, destroying mountains, and causing landslides and changes to fragile ecosystems. Military-linked militias and businesses are behind much of this mining, but the escalating violent conflict is also fuelling a war economy where other armed actors engage in unregulated resource extraction. These activities are further degrading the environment and accelerating the longer-term impacts of climate change. Another concern is that the military junta’s plan to revive controversial hydropower dams and palm oil plantations will heavily disturb important riverine ecosystems and destroy natural forests, in addition to threatening local land rights and livelihoods. Prior to the coup, some hydropower dams were stalled due to protests by local communities and environmental defenders. However, the violent reimposition of military rule has drastically undermined the civic space for environmental and climate justice actors, which during the 2011-2020 reform period provided some degree of protection to customary lands and the environment. The military’s brutal crackdown on civil society and environmental activists has also significantly undermined previous efforts to create public climate change awareness and to advocate for equitable climate actions. Since the coup, regulatory and environmental oversight mechanisms have disappeared, meaning that local communities now have nowhere to take complaints about the effects of extractive projects on their land rights, local environment and livelihoods. Top-down vs. people centered Top-down technical approaches to climate change typically involve investment in and introduction of agricultural techniques and infrastructures to adjust to climate change, which are developed external to local solutions, knowledge systems and context-specific socio-political relations (e.g. irrigation systems, satellite-based early warning systems, sea walls, drought-resistant crops, new seeds, etc.). people-centred approach adheres to the localisation of aid agenda, by involving local people and their knowledge in decision-making and planning of climate change programmes from the outset. This also includes incorporating context-specific understandings of climate change and drivers of vulnerability into programme design and solutions.* In this context, local efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change are hampered both by the challenges facing the operations of supportive NGOs and CSOs, and by ongoing violent conflicts and displacements. There is also a high risk that natural disaster relief – in the case of, for instance, cyclones, flooding and drought – will be undermined or be used as an oppressive political tool, with the military preventing humanitarian organisations from helping affected populations. Pre-coup climate change policies in Myanmar In the current situation in Myanmar there is an urgent need for international donors to rethink conventional climate change programming. This includes a critical reframing of the policies and approaches that were adopted by the civilian government prior to the military coup, based on international technical assistance, such as the 2019 interlinked Climate Change Policy, Strategy and Master Plan, which aimed to create a climate-resilient and low-carbon society. While recognising the urgency of climate change actions, earlier policies focused predominantly on support through central government departments and on techno-managerial solutions, with a heavy focus on state regulations. These were by and large apolitical and conflict blind. There was no mention of armed conflicts in the border regions, agrarian land struggles, non-state-controlled areas, or the legacies of authoritarianism, let alone a recognition of how these realities affect the lives of people. Locally-driven climate change adaptation and indigenous natural resource protection were underprioritized in favour of state-centric and top-down solutions. This was evident in the design of several internationally sponsored adaptation projects, some of which were aborted after the coup due to the freezing of aid channelled through government departments. These projects reflected the centrality of technical solutions and involved very little local consultation. They also largely ignored conflict dynamics and failed to target vulnerable populations in areas controlled by non-state ethnic resistance organisations (EROs). Research also shows that large-scale mitigation projects, like REDD+ ignored local concerns, contributing instead to indigenous communities’ vulnerability and a consolidation of central state power at the expense of local conservation initiatives. These projects also had conflict repercussions. There were some exceptions to this dominant trend, such as international support for community-led conservation initiatives. However, much of the climate-related programming failed to acknowledge the socio-political marginalisation and asymmetric power relations that lie at the root of Myanmar’s protracted conflicts and authoritarian governance structures. Ways forward and entry points for programming Since the February 2021 coup, many international donors have withdrawn their state-to-state aid, including for climate change, so as not to legitimise and finance the military regime. Many of the CSO partners of international NGOs have moved their environmental and climate change work underground. Under these conditions, and with the gaps in pre-coup climate change policies, there is an urgent need to adopt more conflict-sensitive, flexible and adaptive programming: Conflict analysis should be integrated into the design of climate change programmes, with a focus on mapping the power relations, political contestations and pluralism of actors that are implicated both in environmental protection and in natural resource management and extraction. The analysis should be based on in-depth contextual and historically grounded understanding that climate-related challenges are deeply embedded in longer-term ethno-nationalist conflicts and the co-existence of state and non-state legal-institutional arrangements (e.g. for the manangement of land, forests and other natural resources). Particular attention should be paid to EROs like the Karen National Union, which for decades have engaged in natural resource governance in their areas of non-state control. Localisation of programme implementation is important to ensure that support benefits and reflects the needs of local populations. This requires a shift in programme implementation from top-down, state centric technical solutions towards climate change actions that are people-centred and work from the ground up. Flexible funding and reporting requirements that are adjustable to a volatile and insecure context is important to this approach. Entry points for support could include: a) core costs to secure the continued activities of existing environmental CSOs and indigenous-led networks, and their research and policy advocacy for inclusive and community-led climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes and policies; b) funding for the ongoing documentation of indigenous and customary natural resource management and ecological knowledge systems as a basis for sustainable development; c) support for the documentation of environmentally harmful extractive projects; and d) integration of climate adaptation and environmental protection into humanitarian support to internally displaced people and the communities that host them (e.g. in terms of forestry, green energy and waste management). Policy-related support to pro-democratic movements in developing climate change policies and initiatives that support sustainable environmental protection and equitable natural resource sharing, land rights and locally embedded solutions. The ongoing drafting process of a federal democratic charter by the National Unity Government (NUG), in collaboration with the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) and allied EROs, presents an opportunity to provide technical support within the area of climate change. Informed policy advice should support the inclusion of CSOs that have an existing track record for working with climate change and in-depth experiences with environmental protection and familiarity with indigenous ecological knowledge systems. Funds and technical advice should also be targeted to support these groups to engage in international climate-related forums such as the UN’s Conference of the Parties (COP) to assess progress and add to global conversations on climate-related programming in conflict affected areas. While these recommendations are specific to the current situation in Myanmar, they also apply more broadly to climate change actions in other conflict-affected and authoritarian states..."
Source/publisher: Danish Institute for International Studies (Denmark) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-03-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-03-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN: The World Food Programme (WFP) (the Recipient) will implement Component 1 and Component 2 under the Myanmar Community Resilience Project (the Project), as set out in the Grant Agreement. The International Development Association (the Association), acting as the administrator of the Myanmar Multi-Donor Trust Fund, has agreed to provide financing for the Project, as set out in the referred agreement. From here on, Component 1 and Component 2 under the Myanmar Community Resilience Project will be defined as “Recipient’s Parts of the Project” in this document. The Recipient shall ensure that the Recipient’s Parts of the Project are carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) and this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), in a manner acceptable to the Association. The ESCP is a part of the Grant Agreement. Unless otherwise defined in this ESCP, capitalized terms used in this ESCP have the meanings ascribed to them in the referred agreement(s). Without limitation to the foregoing, this ESCP sets out material measures and actions that the Recipient shall carry out or cause to be carried out, including, as applicable, the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and reporting arrangements, and grievance management. The ESCP also sets out the environmental and social (E&S) instruments that shall be adopted and implemented under the Recipient’s Parts of the Project, all of which shall be subject to prior consultation and disclosure, consistent with the ESS, and in form and substance, and in a manner acceptable to the Association. Once adopted, said E&S instruments may be revised from time to time with prior written agreement by the Association. As agreed by the Association and the Recipient, this ESCP will be revised from time to time if necessary, during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to Project performance. In such circumstances, the Recipient and the Association agree to update the ESCP to reflect these changes through an exchange of letters signed between the Association and the Recipient. The Recipient shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
2023-01-30
Date of entry/update: 2023-01-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Context, crisis, impacts and needs The people of Myanmar continue to pay a high price for two years of political instability, sparked by the 1 February 2021 military takeover of the democratically elected National League For Democracy (NLD) Government. The takeover unleashed an unprecedented political, socioeconomic, and humanitarian crisis on top of the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, sending the country into a dangerous spiral of conflict and poverty. The political situation has prompted an escalation in fighting across the country, characterized by violations of iInternational Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL), including aerial bombardment, burning of homes, and other indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas by the military, as well as use of land mines and other explosive ordnance (EO), and recruitment of minors by multiple armed actors. This has resulted in significant displacement, human suffering, asset depletion, rising food insecurity and reversal of many of the development gains made in recent years. Almost half the country is estimated to be living in poverty as a result of both the political situation and legacy impacts from the pandemic. The spate of violence, including attacks and clashes, across Myanmar throughout 2022 had a severe impact on the physical and mental well-being of millions of people. Displacement surged to record levels in 2022. Nearly 1.2 million people have fled their homes since 1 February 2021, bringing the total number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Myanmar to a staggering 1.5 million as of 26 December 2022, with no signs that displacement is slowing down heading into 2023. On top of this, the rapid depreciation of the Myanmar Kyat, inflation, movement restrictions and active fighting are causing a reduction in food production and are pushing the price of food beyond the reach of many families. Despite the immense needs and commitment of international and national organizations, humanitarian assistance and access to affected people remained heavily restricted in 2022, essentially increasing reliance on local networks of responders in conflict areas. Administrative barriers for travelauthorizations (TAs), incidents of detention and arrest of humanitarian actors, intimidation and harassment, and frequent security checkpoints all constrained humanitarian access to people in need in 2022. Restrictions on telecommunications and internet networks further hindered timely and safe humanitarian access and assistance to people in need. Evolution of needs 2022-2023 With no respite from conflict or political and economic turbulence in sight, 2023 will be another year of dire struggle for the people of Myanmar. A total of 17.6 million people are expected to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023, up from 14.4 million last year and 1 million people before the military takeover. A third of those in need are children. 2023 is expected to witness continued political instability, ongoing or escalating armed conflict, persistent displacement, slow or stagnant economic growth, as well as continued interruptions and poor access to basic services. Continued or increased intensity and frequency of armed conflict will result in more communities being displaced: an additional 1.4 million people are projected to flee their homes in 2023, taking the total displaced population to 2.7 million. Protection risks, especially in hard-to-reach conflict areas, are expected to continue, including increased EO threats, forced recruitment, human trafficking, and human rights violations. Agricultural disruptions due to conflict and displacement, EO-contaminated land, and high input prices will have a serious impact on the national economy and food availability in the country. The number of people experiencing food insecurity will rise to 15.2 million people in 2023, up from 13.2 million in 2022. Scope of analysis Given the dramatic deterioration in the situation over the course of 2021 and 2022, the anticipated depth of needs in new areas, and the overall deterioration of the food security and livelihoods situation country- wide, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) has continued using the broader, national analysis of the humanitarian situation and needs in Myanmar in2023. The 2023 numbers reflect the unprecedented scale and humanitarian consequences of the current crisis, especially for women and children and other vulnerable groups. The methodology and scope of analysis frame the situation in Myanmar as a whole- of-country, complex and multi-dimensional crisis, where there are grave protection concerns and risks, and food insecurity is deepening, requiring scaled-up humanitarian, nexus and development interventions to stop people slipping into more severe need, including acute malnutrition. Population groups The HCT will continue to deploy a vulnerability-sensitive approach in 2023 covering displaced, returned, stateless and crisis-affected people where they have humanitarian needs. The approach covers those who are more directly “shock-affected,” such as displaced populations, returned, resettled, or integrated IDPs, and non-displaced stateless people. A broader group of “other crisis-affected people with humanitarian needs” includes those affected by natural disasters; IDP host communities; people living in high conflict areas with restricted access to basic services to support their own survival; people with severe protection needs (employing negative coping mechanisms; victims of trafficking, exploitation and the most vulnerable migrants with humanitarian needs; EO victims; people with multiple vulnerabilities); non-displaced people in moderate or severe food insecurity or those who are facing malnutrition, people affected by other severe shocks who are unable to support their own survival. In a bid to more accurately reflect and plan for the scale of displacement and IDP needs, the HCT has projected likely displacement through until the end of 2023. While actual displacement as of 26 December 2022 stands at 1.5 million, the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) has anticipated that displacement will continue to grow at a similar rate as 2022 during 2023, meaning there would be 2.7 million people displaced and in need by year’s end. The Needs Monitoring and Analysis Working Group (NMA WG) used a combination of data to develop this common displacement planning figure including looking at movement trends, 2023 scenarios and assumptions,expert opinion, and a severity scale analysis on displacement drivers, trends, and the presence of armed groups. A similar planning figure has been projected for returns (512,000 people) and for those likely to need humanitarian assistance as a result of natural disasters in 2023 (50,000 people). This disaster impact figure was developed based on an analysis of historical trends which vary significantly from year-to- year, despite Myanmar being one of the most disaster- prone countries in the world. This HNO applies protection, gender, age, disability, mental health, and accountability lenses to its analysis with sex and age disaggregated data used throughout, where it is available. Humanitarian conditions, severity, and people in need The number of people estimated to have humanitarian needs was calculated using the globally-endorsed Joint Intersectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF) approach, which looks holistically at the needs facing people in Myanmar and measures the severity of these needs. This severity analysis shows that the spread of the crisis is such that the entire population of 56 million people is now facing some level of need. Two thirds (67 per cent) are in stress, a quarter (23 per cent) are in severe need and almost one tenth (8 per cent) are facing extreme needs. In 2023, a much higher proportion of the population has been identified as being in these more serious needs categories compared to 2022, which is the result of the cumulative impact of expanding conflict, economic instability, negative coping strategies and unmet needs since the military takeover. Two nationwide datasets were available and heavily relied on to inform this evidence-based analysis, providing a higher level of confidence in results than 2022 due to improved ability to verify and triangulate data. The first was a Multi-Sector Needs Analysis (MSNA) conducted across Myanmar for the first time using a hybrid approach with in person and remote data collection. The second was the latest round fo the joint Food Security and Livelihood Assessment by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), conducted between August and September 2022 in 14 regions and states. Together, these nationwide datasets were used to determine the severity of need and intersectoral vulnerability calculations, as well as forming the basis for much of the sectoral needs analyses. The Food Security and Livelihood Assessment, conducted in 2021 and also in April 2022, allows for comparisons of the food security situation over time, while the MSNA allows for a multi-sectoral understanding of needs across population groups..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-01-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-01-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 6.74 MB (Original version) - 119 pages
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Sub-title: In the country’s agricultural heartland, threats posed to villagers across the Global South have collided head-on
Description: "Before the morning sun brings the oppressive heat of the day, village cars, once laden with the dry zone’s staple beans, sesame and peanuts, set off for the regional capital of Magway. But today, when the trucks draw in, they are crammed with young men and women clutching bundles of paperwork. They are seeking to flee what once was Myanmar’s agricultural capital in response to a growing food, job, and security crisis. Climate changes in the baking heartlands, Covid-19 and the military’s violent attacks on villages since its coup in 2021 have prompted an exodus of young people from the region. Nay Moe Swe Kyaw, who runs a free meal program for residents of Magway, says since the Omicron variant hit the region six months ago, around 100 people queue outside the town’s passport office each day. While some in the trucks are destined to Japan or Singapore to finish their education, China and Thailand are preferred by those seeking work. “[The crowd] reminds me of how it used to be at the pagoda festival,” he recalls. “Magway’s passport office is packed with crowds every single day.” ‘Only elders remain’ Migration is nothing new for those who have grown up working Magway’s parched earth; ten years ago, 72% of those migrating from one community in the region cited environmental change as the driving factor. Yet the region is only growing hotter. Record-breaking temperatures have afflicted Myanmar’s dry zone – which includes Magway, Mandalay and Sagaing – over the past two years. Twenty-two of its cities registered record highs in 2020, the riverine market town of Chauk in central Magway recorded a staggering 47.5 C (117.5 F). A former resident of Magway’s Thit Gyi village, Zar Chi Lwin, says her family began to experience unprecedented crop failure in 2007 after shifts in climate made it impossible even to grow the sesame that the region is famed for. “Our farmland, which was previously 100% productive, saw output levels drop to between 60 and 40% per acre,” she said. Unable to finance their debt, in 2010 Zar Chi Lwin’s family sold their ancestral land for half of its former value and migrated to the commercial capital of Yangon. Her parents, she says, were reduced to tears by the move. Ten years ago, only 6% of dry zone inhabitants surveyed said they planned on migrating overseas. Today, however, villagers report that a pressing need for incomes and escape routes is driving those of working age abroad at unprecedented rates. Crop failure – along with a post-coup collapse in trade and the plummeting value of Myanmar’s currency, the kyat - has prompted the exodus of a debt-laden workforce, which includes Zar Chi Lwin herself. She says as much as 70% of her village has moved to Thailand since she left. Those who went were predominantly 20- to 35-year-olds hoping for better economic opportunities. “Only elders remained in the village – nobody of working age – so production may have been reduced by a half. This caused huge inflation in the price of goods and, then, a military coup made it worse. I couldn’t even afford to buy cooking oil!” Zar Chi Lwin said. Land razed Advertisement The people of Magway – which borders Rakhine state and Mandalay in Myanmar’s north-west – were among the first to mount a resistance to the military government. They have been specifically targeted by the military’s latest “land clearance” operations – scorched-earth campaigns that have so far entailed the wholesale arson of entire villages and the rape, murder, and arbitrary detention of thousands of civilians. Rights groups have documented tens of thousands of incidences of human rights abuses and war crimes committed by the military across Myanmar over the past 16 months. In May, UN humanitarian agency OCHA estimated that almost 55,000 of the Magway’s near four million inhabitants have been forced from their homes and lands by the military since February 2021. In neighbouring Sagaing, that number is more than 336,000. In Magway and Sagaing – where citizens are almost entirely from Myanmar’s Bamar ethnic group - it is the first time in decades that such punishments have been meted by the country’s genocidal, and predominantly Bamar, military. Naruemon Thabchumpon, professor of cross-border migration at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, says that while further research is needed to assess the true number of dry zone natives now in Thailand, threats to the region including the climate change and conflict have been significant factors. “The climate crisis affects the life of the people, and in the case of those from the dry zone this is pretty clear, she says. “When we look at the intensifying conflict, the first region that started fighting against the military is the dry zone region of Sagaing. The conflict map bears this out: there is a clear relationship between climate crisis, economic concerns, and areas experiencing recent political instability.” Uncertain future Those left behind say they worry about what this exodus will mean for their families. In the northern Magway city of Yenankyaung, Hnin Si Ni’s farmland had yielded the region’s famed soybean and sesame oil for generations. By 2005, increasing temperatures had brought new problems. “My cousins’ families had to move to the city to find new jobs,” Hnin Si Ni explained, adding that crop yields at her own family’s farm had fallen by 30% since 2005 due to increasing temperatures bringing dry soil, unpredictable weather patterns, reduced crop output, and natural disasters. “Some of them moved to Yangon, some to Myitkyina [capital of Myanmar’s Kachin State on the Myanmar-China border], while others moved to Thailand.” While farmers have grown accustomed to working with cracked soils, Nay Moe Swe Kyaw says he now worries about what rising crop prices and empty villages will mean for the future of his community. “With higher commodity and fuel prices, people and small businesses are facing many difficulties, losing their financial interests,” he said. “If this situation continues, people will certainly face incredible hardships. I can’t bear to think about it. The longer the coup lasts, the graver the situation will be for all of us – that’s for sure.” This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. With support from the Pulitzer Center, the Democratic Voice of Burma explores how climate, economic insecurity, and a return of the Myanmar military’s “scorched earth” campaigns are driving Myanmar’s young people overseas..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
2022-07-21
Date of entry/update: 2022-07-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This Analytical Brief focuses on the changing landscape of Myanmar in terms of climate, environmental degradation and disaster risk based on a review of recent research, hazard modelling and available data. It reviews the changing areas and populations at risk of exposure to natural disasters. Summary Myanmar is one of the of the world’s most affected countries in terms of natural disasters, and among the most vulnerable to new disasters in the years to come. In addition to significant loss of life, livelihoods, and property, natural disasters are estimated to cost up to 3% of Myanmar’s annual GDP, and the longer-term impacts may be still greater. Changing climate and environmental degradation are influencing the frequency and severity of natural hazards in Myanmar, with predictions of more frequent and more severe floods, storms and droughts. Loss of natural ecosystems such as mangroves and forests, rising average annual temperatures, and more intense rainfall are all factors which could increase the impact of natural disasters on large numbers of Myanmar’s population. Extreme weather events do not become disasters on their own - the level of impact is influenced by the vulnerability of the affected community. Densely populated districts with less infrastructure investment were found to be key vulnerability hotspots. Populous coastal areas in Rakhine State and Ayeyarwady and Yangon Regions were found to be at risk of a wider variety of destructive events than other areas. Activities aimed at disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response in Myanmar should carefully consider current as well as projected disaster risks. Further research and data collection are needed to develop effective approaches that can reduce the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on disaster risk for communities. More can also be done to create a shared understanding of vulnerability and how best it can be measured given limitations in available data..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2022-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 9.5 MB
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Description: "The MIMU 5W gathers inputs from participating humanitarian and development agencies on Who is doing What, Where, When and for Whom across Myanmar. It is normally conducted every 6 months and provides information on agencies’ activities at various levels (village/village tract/township, and IDP camps). In total, 209 agencies participated in the March 2022 round of the MIMU 5W, providing information on their humanitarian and development activities across 22 sectors and 157 sub-sectors as defined by technical/sector working groups. 5W reporting is quite comprehensive for projects of INGO, UN and Red Cross agencies, but there is underreporting of activities for local NGOs and CBOs, since not all are participating. Note that Agencies must report to a sufficiently detailed level (village or camp level) for their work to be reflected fully in the MIMU 5W products. This Overview describes projects reported as under implementation in Kachin as of March 25th, 2022. Further information on planned and recently completed projects is available from the 5W dataset, which can be requested by 5W Partners. Projects under implementation can also be viewed on our interactive dashboards - 5W Township Dashboard and 5W Village Tract Dashboard..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2022-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2022-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 3.35 MB
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Description: "The MIMU 5W gathers inputs from participating humanitarian and development agencies on Who is doing What, Where, When and for Whom across Myanmar. It is normally conducted every 6 months and provides information on agencies’ activities at various levels (village/village tract/township, and IDP camps). In total, 209 agencies participated in the March 2022 round of the MIMU 5W, providing information on their humanitarian and development activities across 22 sectors and 157 sub-sectors as defined by technical/sector working groups. 5W reporting is quite comprehensive for projects of INGO, UN and Red Cross agencies, but there is underreporting of activities for local NGOs and CBOs, since not all are participating. Note that Agencies must report to a sufficiently detailed level (village or camp level) for their work to be reflected fully in the MIMU 5W products. This Overview describes projects reported as under implementation in Rakhine as of March 25th, 2022. Further information on planned and recently completed projects is available from the 5W dataset, which can be requested by 5W Partners. Projects under implementation can also be viewed on our interactive dashboards - 5W Township Dashboard and 5W Village Tract Dashboard. 1. Organisations active in Rakhine State as of March 25th, 2022 In total, 72 agencies reported activities in Rakhine state: 37 are engaged in Development-focused projects (700 village tracts/towns), 26 are engaged in support to other vulnerable groups (not IDP related, 267 village tracts/towns), 32 are engaged in activities which target IDP and Host Communities (419 village tracts/towns and 27 camps) and 22 are active in IDP-focused activities (104 village tracts/towns and 27 camps). IDP-related projects were reported in a total of 30 camps or camp-like settings. A total of 134 projects were reported in Rakhine State: 41% of the projects involve work with IDPs (54 IDP & Host Community or IDP-only focused projects), and 59% have a focus on other populations (80 Other Vulnerable Groups and/or Development-focused projects). Non-IDP focused projects (Other Vulnerable Groups and/or Development activities): 57 organisations reported 80 village or township-based projects under implementation in 813 village tracts/towns. The majority are implemented by INGOs. Most of the reported projects are in Maungdaw (68 village tracts/towns), Ponnagyun (64), Buthidaung (63), Rathedaung (59), Thandwe (58), Minbya (57), Mrauk-U (57), Toungup (55), Kyaukpyu (52), Kyauktaw (51), Myebon (47), Ramree (45), Pauktaw (42), Gwa (35), Ann (31), Sittwe (28), Munaung (1). IDP & Host Community and IDP-only focused activities: 39 organisations reported 54 projects under implementation in 441 village tracts/towns and 30 IDP camps. The majority are implemented by INGOs and UN agencies. Most of these projects are in Ponnagyun (85 village tracts/towns, 0 camp), Rathedaung (67, 0), Minbya (54, 1), Kyauktaw (50, 1), Myebon (48, 2), Buthidaung (38, 0), Mrauk-U (35, 1), Sittwe (23, 18), Maungdaw (21, 0), Pauktaw (15, 6), Ann (3, 0), Kyaukpyu (2, 1)..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2022-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2022-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 2.66 MB
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Topic: water insecurity, climate change, preparedness, public health, IDPs
Topic: water insecurity, climate change, preparedness, public health, IDPs
Description: "Introduction: The Rohingya IDPs in the Pauktaw Township in Rakhine State (Myanmar) suffer annual potable water scarcity during the dry season into early rainy season. Due to hydrogeology, with surface brackish water and sea water intrusion, the area’s main water source is rainwater collected in ponds. Due to water loss, linked to seepage and evaporation, the ponds go dry 3-months a year, impeding meeting the minimum humanitarian standards during water scarcity period, and water is boated in to fill the gaps. This is a costly intervention, easily disrupted and not financially sustainable. Moreover, water supplied is limited, impacting personal hygiene, including menstrual hygiene, and public health, creating the conditions for diffusion of skin infections, COVID-19, acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) etc. Climate change is starting to exacerbate these issues, as sea level rise threatens to flood low lying camps, increases saltwater intrusion and makes rainy season unpredictable. Update: Considering the upcoming season of water scarcity in Pauktaw and the need for coordinated efforts to ensure continuation of water supply, as a life-saving action, it is shared below with relevant stakeholders the summary of the trend of water consumption and forecasted date of the start of the emergency response, based on our software to monitor and analyse each pond’s available water, together with the user numbers, and actual water consumption and losses, to predict scarcity timing and plan water boating for Rohingya settlements of Pauktaw township where Solidarités International is the main WASH service provider. Together with water boating, the response provided by Solidarités International includes a gradual reduction of water consumption to 7.5 litres/person/day, and a decrease of water points to ration distribution to delay the start of water boating. In addition, water conservation behavioural change messaging is provided to IDPs. To save freshwater, brackish water is used in public handwashing stations..."
Source/publisher: Solidarités International
2022-03-24
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Description: "တိုင်းဒေသကြီးနှင့်ပြည်နယ် အချို့တွင် မိုးကြီးနိုင်မည့်အခြေအနေ အသိပေးတင်ပြခြင်း အသေးစိတ်ကို ပုံတွင်ဖတ်ရှုပြီး လိုအပ်သူများကို ပြန်လည်မျှဝေခြင်းဖြင့် ကူညီနိုင်ပါသည်။ မိုးလေဝသ အခြေအနေများသည် အချိန်နှင့်အမျှပြောင်းလဲဖြစ်ပေါ်နေသည့်အတွက် ကြိုတင် ခန့်မှန်းချက်များကို သတိပြုနိုင်ကြပါရန်နှင့် သိရှိလိုက်နာသင့်သည့်အကြံပြုချက်များကို အချိန် နှင့်တစ်ပြေးညီ ဆက်လက်ထုတ်ပြန်ပေးမည်ဖြစ်ပါသည်။..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management - NUG
2021-06-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားရေးနှင့် ဘေးအန္တရာယ်ဆိုင်ရာစီမံခန့်ခွဲရေး ဝန်ကြီးဌာနသည် ပြည်တွင်း၊ပြည်ပ မိုးလေဝသပညာရှင်များ၏ နည်းပညာပံ့ပိုးမှုဖြင့် (၇-၆-၂၀၂၁မှ ၁၃-၆-၂၀၂၁အထိ) ရက်သတ္တပတ်အတွက် မိုးလေဝသခန့်မှန်းချက်ကို ထုတ်ပြန်အပ်ပါသည်။ အဆိုပါမိုးလေဝသ ခန့်မှန်းချက်များကို လိုအပ်သူများထံသို့ ပြန်လည်မျှဝေခြင်းဖြင့် ပူးပေါင်းကူညီနိုင်ပါသည်။ (မီဒီယာများအနေဖြင့် ပြန်လည်ကူးယူဖော်ပြလိုပါက ခန့်မှန်းချက်ထုတ်ပြန်ပေးကြသည့် မိုးလေဝသပညာရှင်များကို credit ပေးခြင်းဖြင့် အသိအမှတ်ပြုနိုင်ပါရန် အကြံပြုအပ်ပါသည်။)..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management - NUG
2021-06-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 3.81 MB (8 pages)
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Description: "လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားရေးနှင့် ဘေးအန္တရာယ်ဆိုင်ရာ စီမံခန့်ခွဲရေး ဝန်ကြီးဌာနနှင့် ပြည်တွင်းပြည်ပ မိုးလေဝသပညာရှင်များ ပူးပေါင်း၍ ထုတ်ပြန်သော ရက်သတ္တပတ် မိုးလေဝသ ခန့်မှန်းချက် (၃၁.၀၅.၂၁ မှ ၀၆.၀၆.၂၁ထိ) ပုံတစ်ပုံချင်းတွင် အသေးစိတ် ဖတ်ရှုနိုင်ပါသည်။ လိုအပ်သူများကို ပြန်လည်မျှဝေခြင်းဖြင့် ကူညီနိုင်ပါသည်။ (မီဒီယာများ ပြန်လည်ကူးတင်ပါက ဝန်ကြီးဌာနမှ မိုးလေဝသပညာရှင်များကို credit ပေးခြင်းဖြင့် အသိအမှတ်ပြုနိုင်ပါရန် အကြံပြုအပ်ပါသည်။)..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management - NUG
2021-05-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.32 MB
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Description: "ဆိုင်ကလုန်းမုန်တိုင်း YASS နှင့်စပ်လျဉ်း၍ ထုတ်ပြန်ချက် ပုံတစ်ပုံချင်းတွင် အသေးစိတ် ဖတ်ရှုနိုင်ပါသည်။ လိုအပ်သူများကို ပြန်လည်မျှဝေခြင်းဖြင့် ကူညီပေးနိုင်ပါသည်။..."
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
2021-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 141.57 KB
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Description: "Myanmar’s rural population are extremely vulnerable given their low human development and high dependence upon natural resources for their livelihoods (including agriculture, fisheries and forestry). This has led to environmental degradation including deforestation and poor land use management practices, diminishing water sources and high rates of food insecurity and sickness etc. These pre-existing vulnerabilities combined with the large number of hazards affecting Myanmar including cyclones, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, storm surges, droughts and landslides have resulted in a high risk rural society. In addition, climate change and its associated impacts are already, and will likely continue to exacerbate the situation further through more frequent, intense and widespread extreme hazard events including cyclones, floods and droughts, and through increased temperatures, rainfall variability and sea level rises. Myanmar has taken steps to addressing risk to hazards including climate change at the national level through the development of Myanmar’s Action Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction (MAPDRR) and the National Adaptation Program of Action on Climate Change (NAPA). However, in many cases rural communities are either not aware or have not yet benefited from the policies, strategies and actions outlined in these two documents. Communities are also those best placed to identify strategies and solutions to their problems as they are at the front line of hazard impact. It is therefore essential that urgent action is taken at the local level in partnership with communities, government, civil society and other stakeholders to implement actions identified in the NAPA and MAPDRR and increase the resilience of rural communities to hazards including climate change. This Handbook outlines a process whereby Malteser International staff and their partners can work in partnership with rural communities and local governments to address risk to hazards including climate change and increase community resilience. Firstly the Handbook outlines hazards, their associated impacts and sources of vulnerabilities facing rural communities in Myanmar. It then provides example actions and measures for inclusive disaster risk management and climate change adaptation at the community, township and state level. The Handbook then presents the case for an integrated approach to resilience building which embeds climate change adaptation strategies within a disaster risk management approach. The steps and tools for this approach are then described, before outlining how community resilience plans should be integrated into development plans at township and state level..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Malteser" via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2020-07-28
Date of entry/update: 2020-07-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 2.05 MB
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Sub-title: climate change has the potential to destabilise various systems and institutions while simultaneously deepening the schisms between communities.
Description: "climate change has the potential to destabilise various systems and institutions while simultaneously deepening the schisms between communities. The unpredictable and pervasive nature of COVID-19 has influenced security conflicts across the globe in numerous ways. A few broad trends have come to light. Firstly, terrorist and extremist groups have used the pandemic as an opportunity to step up their attacks across different conflict theatres. These include Nigeria where Boko Haram is active, and Syria and Iraq where the so-called Islamic State has been ramping up its presence. Such an escalation of violence is due to the increased governmental reliance on military troops across different regions to handle the pandemic, reducing their capacity to effectively protect targets from attacks. For instance, the Indian military in Kashmir has been called on to engage with quarantine facilities as well as enforcement of social distancing, thus allowing terrorist groups to conduct more cross border attacks. Secondly, terror groups have also launched viral misinformation campaigns to increase the mayhem and chaos that has stemmed from the crisis, and various governments’ (mis)handling of the situation. This included highlighting the failing official responses as a reason to contend against the legitimacy of different governments, as highlighted in Egypt and Libya, targeting minorities as the cause of spreading the virus as was done by far right groups in the West as well as Hindu extremists in India. This also helped in capitalising on the polarisation of society to recruit more people, as was attempted by pro-Islamic State entities in India. Lastly, terrorist groups have also been engaged in providing emergency aid services to affected populations. This is both a matter of necessity, especially for terrorist groups that control territory (such as the Taliban), and an opportunity for those who want to underscore their ability to perform better than the government..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Observer Research Foundation (ORF)" (India)
2020-07-29
Date of entry/update: 2020-07-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Climate Change, FAO, Forest Monitoring
Topic: Climate Change, FAO, Forest Monitoring
Description: "In Myanmar, a five-year project to monitor the country’s forests led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is set to get underway. Its goal is to measure and observe the country’s forests to evaluate efforts to curb greenhouse gases and prevent forest degradation. According to the FAO, the project is unique due to its reliance on human rights and a conflict-sensitive approach to forest monitoring, a first in a country where the central government remains mired in intermittent clashes with ethnic armies, many of which reside in forested areas in Myanmar’s border regions. In response to the announcement, Dr. Nyi Nyi Kyaw, director-general of Myanmar’s Forest Department in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, welcomed the FAO’s approach and took a conciliatory tone toward the country’s various ethnic groups. “We are in urgent need of better and updated data about the state of all the forests in Myanmar. This data will help to better plan and evaluate sustainable forest use and conservation in our country together with all stakeholders, public and private, and also in the land areas of our ethnic brothers and sisters,” he said. The project is a welcome addition to regional efforts to push back against the ill effects of deforestation and global warming. Its focus on human rights and sensitivity to conflict-prone areas, however, will depend on the backing of local communities to prevent good intentions from inflaming further conflict..."
Source/publisher: "ASEAN Today" (Singapore)
2020-07-05
Date of entry/update: 2020-07-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Monsoon wind is strong over South Bay of Bengal and southern parts of Myanmar and deltaic areas will have heavy rain, announced Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) on June 30. Rain or thundershowers will be isolated in Nay Pyi Taw, lower Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway regions, and Eastern Shan State, scattered in Northern Shan State, fairly widespread in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions and Southern Shan State and widespread in the remaining regions and states with isolated heavy falls in Rakhine State. The recorded rainfalls are 3.58 inches in Gwa, 2.56 inches in Myeik, 2.28 inches in Putao, 2.08 inches in Bago, 1.60 inches in Shan Ywar Thit, 1.57 inches in Theinzayet, 1.54 in Chaungsone, 1.50 inches in Mawlamyaing, 1.45 inches each in Thaton, Dawei and Longlon, 1.39 inches in Yay, 1.35 inches in Paingkyone and 1.34 inches in Mrauk-U. Monsoon is moderate to strong over the Andaman Sea and South Bay and weak elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal. Rain or thundershowers will be isolated in Nay Pyi Taw and Magway Region, scattered in lower Sagaing and Mandalay regions, Kayah State, fairly widespread in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions, Shan State and widespread in the remaining regions and states with isolated heavy falls in upper Sagaing and Taninthayi regions, Kachin and Mon states. Degree of certainty is 80%..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Eleven Media Group" (Myanmar)
2020-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2020-07-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Farming, Sand Mining
Topic: Farming, Sand Mining
Description: "“This land was mine, it eroded slowly from the riverbank and after a while, the whole chunk of land totally collapsed,” Than Zaw Oo, a farmer on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar’s Mon State, told Reuters recently. He said he’s lost three-quarters of his land to erosion and is now a few thousand dollars in debt from paying for embankments to try to preserve his farm. As COVID-19 shakes economies and lockdowns leave many without income, the pandemic raises questions about the security of our food supply. Agriculture in Southeast Asia is so far stable, though the region’s farmers were already struggling with significant challenges from drought and climate change before the pandemic hit. But farmers are now also seeing impacts from sand mining, a sprawling industry fueled by demand for concrete and glass for cities and infrastructure projects. Along rivers and off coasts throughout Southeast Asia, miners use dredging machines to extract the sand, piling it on barges to be sent to megacities like Bangkok and Jakarta or further afield. The world’s largest sand importer is Singapore, which uses it for land reclamation projects. The biggest sources for sand mining in the region are Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam. According to a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, the global demand for sand has tripled over the past 20 years to around 50 billion tonnes per year, more than any other natural resource. The same report shows that sand extraction drives pollution, flooding, lowering of aquifers and drought..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "ASEAN Today" (Singapore)
2020-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology released a report on 18 May and the Emergency Management Centre of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement also published its findings on the weather situation, according to state media. The reports forecasted that the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm (AMPHAN) over the West Central Bay and adjoining South Bay of Bengal is expected to cross India, West Bengal and coastal areas of Bangladesh, without heading to Myanmar at present. Although the AMPHAN is not forecasted to move to Myanmar, scattered to fairly rain falls are possible across the country from 18 to 21 May..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
2020-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The on-going specter of COVID-19 demonstrates that no country is immune from global disaster and no one can self-isolate. When the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus as a pandemic, Dr. Henry Kissinger opined that the coronavirus pandemic will forever alter the world order. Many pundits stress any post-coronavirus world order should renew our recognition of our inter-connectivity and inter-dependence. That leads us to reaffirm our commitment to placing the planet’s long-term interests ahead of short-term political expediency.
Description: "Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his recent op-ed in NYT dated on April 28, underscored the importance of not losing sight of the big picture and connectedness of issues. He eminently highlighted the nexus between the coronavirus and climate change. He reiterated that climate disruption is becoming the new normal, human conduct is also leading to severe biodiversity loss, changing animal-human interaction and distorting ecosystem processes that regulate our planetary health. We should take heed of the Secretary-General’s sobering warning that we are approaching a point of no return for human health, which depends on planetary health. The famous disaster movie “Contagion” screened in 2012 is a chilling reminder, as it bore a striking resemblance of the killer virus’ transmission structure; from a bat, and intermediate body and finally to humans. Yet, more importantly, the film concluded by warning that unless human’s destruction of the climate and natural habitats stops, the reappearance of more deadly epidemics is just a matter of time. Indeed, it is startling to see infectious diseases of global magnitude, including SARS, H1N1, Ebola, Mers, Zika, occurring at disturbingly reduced intervals..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "On International Earth Day, and as the coronavirus epidemic rages on in Southeast Asia, and the rest of the world, regional MPs are today warning of the need to combat climate change and environmental destruction in order to lower the risk of future health emergencies. “The coronavirus pandemic we are currently facing teaches us an important lesson; that we must anticipate and address crises before they are upon us, and panic sets in,” said Walden Bello, a former Philippines Member of Parliament (MP) and Board Member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR). “The good news is that we can reduce the risk of future epidemics by addressing climate change and deforestation. To do that, we need ASEAN governments to clearly and officially commit to submitting more ambitious climate action plans before COP26 in 2021.” Research shows that the number of emerging infectious diseases, such as the coronavirus known as COVID-19, has grown considerably since the 1940s. Deforestation and urbanisation, by increasing our proximity to wildlife, have contributed to this alarming escalation. Yet, Southeast Asian governments have provided a worrying lack of protective measures against deforestation, ecosystem disruption and biodiversity loss in the region, APHR said. “Evidence shows that deforestation and urbanisation increase our risk of catching infectious diseases like coronavirus. Southeast Asia’s staggering rate of deforestation, with more than 32 million hectares of forest lost since 1990, puts the region especially at risk,” said Sarah Elago, a Philippines MP and APHR member. “Our governments have to act swiftly against deforestation by increasing protected areas and environmental safeguards against investment projects if we want to reduce the risk of reliving covid19-like epidemics,” ..."
Source/publisher: ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR)
2020-04-22
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The new State of Southeast Asia 2020 survey report released by Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute shows that climate change is now among the top security concerns expressed by regional experts and opinion leaders. 66.8% of the 1,308 Southeast Asian experts surveyed for the report from across ASEAN are concerned about climate implications, up from 52.6% in 2019. It isn’t surprising to see a growing concern over climate threats in Southeast Asia. Over the past few decades, climate hazards have brought devastating impacts to the region. 52.7% of respondents in the State of Southeast Asia 2020 survey believe it is a severe and immediate threat to the well-being of their states. The view is heightened among survey participants from six ASEAN states: Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, where exposure to climate hazards such as flood, drought, and extreme weather is immense..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "ASEAN Today" (Singapore)
2020-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Extreme weather wreaked havoc in Magwe and Mandalay regions in northern Myanmar, causing record temperatures and triggering windstorms that destroyed several houses.
Description: "The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology recorded a temperature of 47.5C in Chauk township in Magwe on May 8, the highest in the country in 52 years. U Kyaw Moe Oo, the agency’s director general, said on May 10, “Temperatures will be above normal throughout the country." He said the previous high temperature was 47.1C, recorded in Myinmu township in Sagaing Region in 2010. U Kyaw Moe Oo said that while it is too early to compare the current average temperature with previous years, there are indications 2020 will be hotter than normal. He added that high daytime temperature can cause towering clouds in the afternoon and trigger rain in some areas. On May 10, strong winds and rain whipped 17 villages in Yamethin township in Mandalay Region, destroying houses and other structures, including a temporary quarantine centre, U Aung Myo Oo, a regional legislator for Yamethin, said. The strong winds and rain, which U Aung Myo Oo described as a tornado, lasted half an hour, and toppled electric posts and trees. “Even the sacks of rice from the quarantine centre were blown away. The temporary structure and dining room were damaged. Some electricity posts and trees were downed,” he said, adding that 17 villages in Yamethin reported storm damage..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2020, Myanmar has had the highest weather-related losses in the past two decades, alongside Puerto Rico and Haiti. It is said that Myanmar is also one of the most vulnerable countries at risk of climate crisis. The consequences of climate change can be seen around the world, with natural disasters and rising sea levels headlining global news. In Myanmar, severe flooding in recent years and 2008’s disastrous Nargis cyclonic storm have affected the lives of millions of locals and caused over 100,000 deaths. The deadly tropical cyclone was deemed as the worst natural disaster recorded in Myanmar’s history. The dry zone of Myanmar lies in the central portion of the country, home "to nearly a third of Myanmar’s total population. According to media reports, temperatures there are projected to rise by up to three degrees Celsius (3° C) after 2040. In the Irrawaddy delta, in the south – the mid-level projection for sea-level rise is up to 40 centimetres (cm) by 2050...
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The ASEAN Post" (Malaysia)
2020-03-18
Date of entry/update: 2020-04-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his recent report on the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 that governments should not respond to the COVID-19 crisis by making policy and investment decisions that exacerbate existing crises such as air pollution and the climate emergency. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has made its commitment to “building back better” clear through, among other things, its ongoing work to promote the creation of green jobs and facilitating the transition to a carbon neutral future. Here’s one example from Asia. Myanmar is widely considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world in terms of the impacts of climate change. More intense and frequent floods, cyclones and droughts have caused immense loss of life and damage to infrastructure and the economy and put its renowned biodiversity and natural resources under increasing pressure. Compared to many other countries in the region, Myanmar is currently much less prepared to respond to the challenges of global heating..."
Source/publisher: UN Environment Programme (UNEP) (Nairobi)
2020-04-21
Date of entry/update: 2020-04-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields. “This used to be my land,” said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves. All but six of the 24 acres where he used to grow rice and vegetables have slipped into the water in recent years, he said. Another farmer, Than Tun, said he had lost 15 acres of his land to erosion. While official records were not available, other villagers backed their accounts. Farmers and politicians in Chaungzon township, just outside the southern town of Moulmein, worry that erosion in the area is being exacerbated by the ships that dredge its bed for sand each night. The sand is mainly bound for Singapore, the world’s biggest importer, for use in reclamation and construction projects. Both the Myanmar government and the company whose ships do the dredging in Chaungzon deny the dredging is causing the erosion. But the dispute highlights the fractious issue of sand-mining in Southeast Asia as Singapore is forced to look farther afield to slake its thirst for the mineral following bans on the trade in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia over environmental concerns..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
2020-03-04
Date of entry/update: 2020-03-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Three years ago, the villagers watched as the Sittaung River on Myanmar’s southeast coast crept closer to them, swollen by powerful tidal surges from the Gulf of Mottama that eroded its banks. Eventually, the 1,500 residents of Ta Dar U had to accept the inevitable: move or be washed away. Dismantling their wooden homes, they relocated several kilometers inland, away from the fertile fields they had cultivated for decades. “Where we now see water, our farming land used to be,” said farmer Tint Khaing. “It was very big, nearly three hours’ walking distance. We all lost our farmland to the sea.” Ta Dar U is among hundreds of villages at the frontline of Myanmar’s climate crisis, where extreme weather patterns and rising sea levels have amplified and accelerated natural erosion. Environmentalists consider Myanmar to be particularly vulnerable. It was among the top three countries affected by extreme weather between 1998 and 2018 on the Global Climate Risk Index, published by environmental think tank Germanwatch..."
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Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
2020-02-27
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Myanmar’s rice growers are increasingly concerned about the amount of water in the country available for the irrigation of their crops, industry insiders say.
Description: "U Myo Tint Tun, assistant secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation recently said: “A reduction in water available for crop irrigation is likely. Right now, the rainfall the country receives has been lower than in previous rainy seasons. Water flowing into the county’s dams has been fluctuating over the recent years and the amount cannot be estimated accurately. What is definitely known is that the country has to be more effective in saving water.” Rice is one of Myanmar’s major exports, and if shortages of irrigation water occur it would negatively impact a revenue source for the country. U Myo Tint Tun, says building more dams will not help the situation as there are already enough and that the problem is solely due to the climate. Being an agricultural country, irrigation water is a critical issue for Myanmar, he added. “Being an agricultural country, it is very important to have sufficient irrigation water. As rice is a major crop, Myanmar needs more water. The crop grows with rain water during the rainy season but in dry areas, irrigation water has to be supplied. If that insufficiency of irrigated water persists, it will be a great challenge for the agriculture sector,” said U Myo Tint Tun. To address the situation, the Agricultural Development Strategy was drafted about two years ago under the present government and it features solutions to uncommon weather conditions, he said. Myanmar’s 15 states and regions have different weather patterns, geographical features and water resources so approaches to deal with these are not the same, said U Myo Tint Tun..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-01-13
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: ""We live in a part of the world that will be hit incredibly hard by climate change. The disruptions to agriculture and food security will be enormous. People will simply not be able to live as they are, where they are" Thant Myint U, 2018 “Climate Change” and “Migrations” are two international growing issues discussed everywhere but too rarely related to each other. From Myanmar’s perspective, not only as an agriculture-based country but also as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, “Climate Change” and “Migrations” are strongly related to each other. According to the World Bank, “by 2050 climate change could force more than 143 million people to move within their countries.” This includes 40 million people in South Asia neighboring Myanmar. At present, human beings are already fleeing dry zones turning into desert, river-delta being stroke by heavy monsoon and tropical cyclone. People are forced to escape the effects of climate change and the future only seems to get worst. Myanmar is no exception..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
2020-01-11
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: THIMPHU (Kuensel/ANN) - Even if global temperature change remains under 1.5°C to avert the worst impact of climate change, the Himalayan region would be two degrees hotter by 2100.
Description: "Even if global temperature change remains under 1.5°C to avert the worst impact of climate change, the Himalayan region would be two degrees hotter by 2100. With rising temperatures, about 36 percent of the glaciers in the region will be lost by the end of the century. This is according to a study conducted by Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Climate change and other environmental and socioeconomic drivers of change are testing the resilience of ecosystems and communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), said Nand Kishor Agarwal, an official with ICIMOD. “And if further changes happen in the earth’s climate, the region will suffer the most.” Even a slight climatic change could affect more than a billion people downstream who depend on the Himalayan Mountains for freshwater, energy and other ecosystem services..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Eleven Media Group" (Myanmar)
2019-12-21
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Climate change, environment, Karen
Sub-title: Communities in rural Karen State don’t refer to climate change by name, but they have experienced its negative impacts and are responding.
Topic: Climate change, environment, Karen
Description: "At the foot of Maw Law Ei Mountain, the highest peak in eastern Myanmar’s Karen State, increasing temperatures, drought and extreme weather events, such as flash-flooding, have become common. Members of the indigenous groups that make up the majority of the population here, talk about the significant changes they’ve seen in both the natural environment and the climate. “In the past, it was cooler because we had many big trees,” said Kyaw Blar, a villager from Ta Deh Koh village, one of the villages at the foot of Maw Law Ei mountain (pronounced Mulayit). “It’s all plain area now… it is hotter now.” Myanmar, also known as Burma, is among the countries most vulnerable to extreme weather events related to climate change. In 2019 Germanwatch, ranked Burma 3rd in its Global Climate Risk Index on the long-term climate change risk table, which analyses quantified impacts of extreme weather events both in terms of fatalities as well as economic losses that occurred in the 20-year period; from 1998-2017 (link here). Yet not many people in rural Karen State are aware of climate change’s direct causes or even use the term to refer to the changes they’re seeing. They are, however, among a growing number of vulnerable people forced to cope with the impacts of extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change..."
Source/publisher: "Karen News" (Myanmar)
2019-11-13
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar is facing the risks of climate change impacts as the country’s annual deforestation rate between 2010 and 2015 reached 1.72 per cent, said Ohn Win, Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation at a workshop on the suggestion on the analytical results of the village firewood plantation law and bylaw, at Tungapuri Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw on June 7. In his opening speech, the Union Minister said, “The country’s forest resources are declining due to the facts such as agricultural extension, rapid urbanization, high demands for firewood, excessive timber extraction and illegal timber logging. According to the FAO’s FRA-2015, the forest coverage area accounts for 42.92 per cent of the country’s total area. The climate changes hamper the sustainable development of the country. It is found that the country is in need of village firewood forest plantations for the firewood, fuel and other basic forest products which are essential for the people. To satisfy the firewood needs of the rural people, the establishment of 1.35 million acres of the village firewood plantations and 2.27 million acres of community-owned forest plantations, from 2010 to 2030, is clearly described in the major project for the National Forest Sector, the Union Minister added..."
Source/publisher: "Eleven Media Group" (Myanmar)
2019-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Health
Topic: Health
Description: "Like it or not, daily decisions we make – from our methods of transportation, what clothes we buy, to the food and drinks we consume – directly impact the environment by contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and the production of harmful waste. Millions of people around the world, often led by school children and young people, recently took to the streets to protest widespread political inaction. Despite compelling evidence that the earth is warming at unprecedented levels, they were frustrated that nothing was happening in the world’s parliaments and company boardrooms. Climate change is a health emergency as much as it is a global emergency with far reaching socio-economic and geo-political consequences. While global warming is poised to hit developing nations the hardest, these countries will also be the least prepared to cope with its consequences. Naturally, doctors around the world are adding their voices to the rising and compelling calls for action, in the hopes of saving more than a quarter of a million lives if our civilisation carries on ‘business as usual’. “Anthropocene”: Evidence continues to mount that human activities are leaving indelible marks on the planet leading it on a path of irreversible change. Some experts believe human activities have even ushered in a new geological epoch on earth, called the “Anthropocene” (anthropo, for “human,” and cene, for “new”) characterised by plastic pollution, mass animal extinctions and traces of radioactive substances dispersed across the earth from nuclear tests. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has produced reports detailing just how much more drastic and hazardous the effects would be if the earth warmed by 2 degrees, compared to 1.5 degrees, by 2030..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-11-15
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "According to the observations at (18:30)hrs M.S.T today, the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm "BULBUL" over the Westcentral Bay and adjoining Eastcentral Bay of Bengal moved Northwards is centered at about (145) nautical miles South-Southeast of Paradip (Odisha), India, (220) nautical miles South -Southwest of Sagar Islands (West Bengal)၊ (275) nautical miles South-Southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), (320) nautical miles Southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar) and (315) nautical miles Southwest of Maungdaw (Myanmar). It is not moving towards Myanmar coasts, the present stage of the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm "BULBUL" is coded yellow stage. Position of Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, center pressure and wind The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm "BULBUL" is located at Latitude (18.1) degree North and Longitude (87.6) degree East, centre pressure of the Very Severe Cyclonic storm is (982) hPa and maximum wind speed near the center is (80)miles per hour at (18:30) hrs MST today. It is moving with a speed of (10)mph. During next (48)hrs forecast: The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm "BULBUL" is likely to move Northwards initially and then continuously move to Northeastwards. It is forecast to cross West Bengal and Bangladesh Coast between Sagar Islands and Khepupara as a Severe Cyclonic Storm in the morning of 10th, November..."
Source/publisher: Government of Myanmar via Reliefweb (USA)
2019-11-08
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The Pyinoolwin Green Organization claims that despite their efforts to highlight the environmental damage caused by the building of the Sino-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline, officials have done little to respond. Sai Min Latt from Pyinoolwin Green Organization said, “The gas pipeline has destroyed springs and other water sources but the local people do not understand this. We presented the destruction of the ecosystem and forest to the officials concerned but they did not take any effective measures. So we do not know what we shall do as they did not do anything in response to our presentations. So I came to this opening ceremony of a school built by the company held today to tell them this is not enough for the destruction they caused.” Sai Min Latt expressed these concerns during the handing over ceremony of a school donated by SEAOP-SEAGP Sino-Myanmar oil and gas pipelines, held in Thone Daung village, Pyinoolwin Township on October 25. “The local people want to see the repair of the damage of ecosystem caused by the building of this Sino-Myanmar gas and oil pipeline. Not only giving this school building. They want the company to give them other things that are needed. Pyinoolwin was once a famous hill resort but now destruction of ecosystem worsens climate change damage here,” he added..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
2019-10-26
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The Chindwin River, the largest tributary of the Ayeyarwady River, is vital to the lives of thousands of communities in Myanmar. Its basin ecosystem offers ecological services and biological diversity that provide the essential needs for six million peopl
Description: "The Chindwin basin’s rich natural resources face a range of threats due to unchecked development, which include mining and logging that are clearing forests, hydropower dams, expansion of crops and irrigated farmland as well as the impact of climate change. These threats directly affect the health, well-being and income of the basin’s communities, and its biodiversity. The changes in the basin –water pollution, river bank erosion, and sedimentation, which causes narrowing or shallowing of the riverbed – are key environmental concerns for local communities. While Myanmar’s forests have been rapidly disappearing, the Chindwin Basin is still one of the country’s most densely forested areas, with nearly half (47.7 percent) covered with a variety of forest types, including montane, deciduous, temperate, subtropical, dry, and rainforest.The basin hosts 14 of the country’s “key biodiversity areas,” which are considered crucial to maintaining global biodiversity. These key areas cover over 51pc of the basin, which is home to a number of rare and endemic species of flora and fauna. The endangered Burmese roofed turtle, for instance, is only found in the Ayeyarwady, Chindwin, Sittaung, and lower Thanlwin rivers..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-02-26
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Q&A: This workshop will discuss the SR15 and AR5 key messages with a specific focus on the region as well as the AR6 scoped outlines and what it means for the science-policy interface. It will provide an opportunity for dialogue between local, regional and national policymakers and other stakeholders on the challenges and priority actions on climate change with the input from IPCC scientists. It will reply to questions such as: • What are the most troubling aspects of climate change for the country and region? (Water, food, flooding, draught, other?) • How is climate change already affecting the country and region? • What are the most effective actions currently underway in the region for adapting to climate change? • What are the most effective actions currently underway for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? • How can the business community help prevent climate change? • What can everyday people do to curb climate change and to adapt to it? • What lessons can other countries learn from your country’s example?..."
Source/publisher: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (Switzerland)
2019-05-31
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Myanmar is no stranger to environmental disasters related to climate change. From Cyclone Nargis in 2008 to the recent landslides that took the lives of over 80 people, local communities have been adversely affected by climate change. In response, countle
Description: "Community forestry, in which local people are the decision-makers in managing forests and natural resources, strengthens community land rights, develops local livelihoods, and conserves precious ecosystems. These elements are important for Myanmar’s fight against climate change. Recognising this, the government aims to establish 920,000 hectares of community forests throughout the country under its Forestry Master Plan (2001-2030). But will community forests bring substantial benefits to local communities and allow them to better tackle climate change? As part of a research team from The Center for People and Forests and the University of Toronto, Canada, we conducted a study of Myanmar’s dry zone, which found that community forestry can be a viable strategy for communities to adapt to climate change, but only if certain challenges are addressed first. Community forests must first gain certification from the government through a highly complicated process that could act as a deterrent for potential new community forests. Much of the land designated as community forests is actually degraded and cannot provide socio-economic benefits. Communities also lack the tools that they need to produce and market their products, including machinery and roads..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-09-27
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "People took to the street in Yangon on September 22 to participate in the Global Climate Strike Myanmar. The activity was led by youth organizations and students numbering about 200 or more people. They marched from new Bogyoke Market to Sule Pagoda, and then gathered outside Mahabandoola Park. Activists from Myanmar joined the movement since the global climate strike movement began on May 24. Strike for Climate Myanmar has made three basic demands. Firstly, they have urged the government to officially recognize emergency situations related to climate and to take the required action. Secondly, they have called for a stop to all projects that can harm the natural environment and climate as soon as possible. And, thirdly, they called for environmental justice for all in Myanmar society. Strike for Climate Myanmar says the situation of the natural environment is bad in developing countries like Myanmar, so they think they should urge relevant authorities to establish suitable policies for natural disaster management and to implement those policies, and that’s why they organized the activity..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
2019-09-23
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Myanmar faces many development challenges, but climate change presents the greatest of all. While the effects of climate change are felt in many ways, it is the threat to the country’s future development that makes it so significant.
Description: "Myanmar’s location and physical diversity means climate change takes many forms – in the dry zone, temperatures are increasing and droughts are becoming more prevalent, while the coastal zone remains at constant risk of intensifying cyclones. Extreme flooding in the current wet season has seen over 190,000 people seek emergency shelter, with the damage to homes, schools and farms compounding the impact of last year’s floods, and those from the year before. More intense and frequent climatic events would greatly affect Myanmar, which is already one of the most vulnerable countries to extreme weather events. With memories of 2008’s catastrophic Cyclone Nargis still vivid, the development gains that have been made in recent years remain highly susceptible to such risks. The need to prepare for, respond to, and recover from, these natural disasters costs time and resources that could otherwise be spent on more pressing development priorities. There is no question that Myanmar must work with the international community to slow down and reverse global warming, while also building its resilience. The government of Myanmar recognises that a clean environment, with healthy and functioning ecosystems, is the foundation upon which the country’s social, cultural and economic development must be sustained. It has therefore committed to a national development framework that incorporates the notion of environmental sustainability for future generations by systematically embedding environmental and climate considerations into all future policies and projects..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-09-20
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Bamboo construction, Climate Change, Global Warming, ASEAN
Topic: Bamboo construction, Climate Change, Global Warming, ASEAN
Description: "The world has 11 years left, as reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to beef up its efforts to reduce global temperatures before it crosses the threshold leading to climate catastrophe. While ASEAN countries have expressed their joint commitment through national pledges to take action and fight climate change, they are also focusing on developing their nations as well. GlobalData’s lead economist for Construction Industry, Danny Richards, said that construction output among ASEAN member states will grow six percent annually over the next five years. However, the building sector accounts for 39 percent of global carbon emissions, where 28 percent is from building operations (heating, cooling, lighting, etc.) and 11 percent is attributed to embodied-carbon emission which refers to carbon that is released during the construction process and material manufacturing. Cement and steel emit eight percent and nine percent, respectively of the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world. Director of the World Green Building Council (World GBC), James Drinkwater, says that once a building of high-embodied-carbon emission is constructed, those emissions add to the total amount of carbon in the air. The construction sector can reduce carbon emission by using materials with low or no embodied carbon..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The ASEAN Post"
2019-05-09
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The risks of climate change to Myanmar were discussed at a seminar for MPs organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Naypyitaw this week. The event held on September 9 gave MPs from seven Hluttaw committees a chance to discuss the issue with three international climate and environment experts working in South East Asia – including Camilla Fenning, the Head of the UK Government’s South East Asia Climate and Energy Network. Camilla Fenning, Head of the South East Asia Climate and Energy Network, UK Foreign Office, commented that: “Hearing from MPs about Myanmar’s climate and environmental challenges underlined the need for urgent climate action by all countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and step up collaboration on resilience and climate finance. Discussions also highlighted Myanmar’s huge potential for renewable energy and the economic and environmental benefits investment in green growth could bring.”..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima"
2019-09-14
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "When Cyclone Komen hit Myanmar in 2015, Daw Lawng Hngel and her family had barely a moment’s notice to pack up their lives and escape the devastating landslides. In the same year, tropical storm Mayak uprooted 6,500 islanders of the Federated States of Micronesia, including Detora and her family, who have lived on the island of Chuuk state for generations. For several years now, the threat of drought and famine in southern Madagascar has forced farmers like Amadou Botokeky to burn their fields and look for livelihoods in other parts of the country. Meanwhile, in the vast expanse of the Mongolian grasslands, T S Munkhsukh worries about the harsh winters and summer droughts, and the future of nomadic herders and their livestock. The stories of Daw Lawng Hngel, Detora, Amadou Botokeky and T S Munkhsukh are part of a growing group of migrants on the move because of climate change. They may live thousands of miles apart from each other, but they share a common reality: accelerated climate change is threatening their homes and drastically altering their way of life. Hazards such as floods, storm surges, droughts, cyclones and heavy precipitation, accentuated by climate change, take a huge toll on communities and force millions of people out of their homes every year. Climate migration is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Unless action is taken, by 2050, there will be over 143 million people forced to migrate due to climate change across these three regions alone. Migration due to environmental changes is not a new phenomenon – what is new is the intensity and severity of these drivers due to our changing climate..."
Source/publisher: "Reliefweb" via International Organization for Migration (IOM)
2019-09-10
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "When Cyclone Komen hit Myanmar in 2015, Daw Lawng Hngel and her family had barely a moment’s notice to pack up their lives and escape the devastating landslides. In the same year, tropical storm Mayak uprooted 6,500 islanders of the Federated States of Micronesia, including Detora and her family, who have lived on the island of Chuuk state for generations. For several years now, the threat of drought and famine in southern Madagascar has forced farmers like Amadou Botokeky to burn their fields and look for livelihoods in other parts of the country. Meanwhile, in the vast expanse of the Mongolian grasslands, T S Munkhsukh worries about the harsh winters and summer droughts, and the future of nomadic herders and their livestock. The stories of Daw Lawng Hngel, Detora, Amadou Botokeky and T S Munkhsukh are part of a growing group of migrants on the move because of climate change. They may live thousands of miles apart from each other, but they share a common reality: accelerated climate change is threatening their homes and drastically altering their way of life. Hazards such as floods, storm surges, droughts, cyclones and heavy precipitation, accentuated by climate change, take a huge toll on communities and force millions of people out of their homes every year. Climate migration is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Unless action is taken, by 2050, there will be over 143 million people forced to migrate due to climate change across these three regions alone. Migration due to environmental changes is not a new phenomenon – what is new is the intensity and severity of these drivers due to our changing climate..."
Source/publisher: "Reliefweb" via International Organization for Migration (IOM)
2019-09-10
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Yay Chann argues that it is time for Yangon City to build climate resilienc
Description: "Last June, a local policy think tank, Another Development, produced a research report related to green spaces in Yangon City. The report pointed out that green spaces in Yangon City had been reduced by nearly 40% over the course of 25 years. In addition, more green spaces in city areas have begun to face the challenges that come along with economic development, population growth, and rapid urbanization. A decline in the number of green spaces in Yangon City is bad, particularly when it comes to building a climate resilient city. Green spaces are critical in building the environment of a climate resilient city. As a forestry term, green spaces are described as the metaphor of the “sponge” (like those used in washing dishes) because such spaces act like a sponge: they generally absorb and maintain water in rainy season, and gradually release it recharging ground water in summer. Green spaces also play a key role in regulating climate, filtering pollution, and cooling the environment. Therefore, protecting green spaces is important to building climate resilience..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "TEACIRCLEOXFORD"
2019-09-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Salt water is seeping into freshwater underground aquifers that are used to irrigate crops and provide communities with water for drinking and washing, but because these aquifers are out of sight, they get less attention than surface water...
Description: "U Myint Thein, a senior hydro-geologist, has urged government agencies in Myanmar to create policies, legislation and other supporting tools to help preserve groundwater. “To control and reduce vulnerability to climate change – as well as to the overexploitation by human activity – policies, legislation and other supporting tools should be developed by government agencies in a coordinated manner when enacting norms and regulations,” U Myint Thein said. Meanwhile, farmers in need of a quick fix and engineers concerned about the safety of coastal communities are calling for protective polders that can be used to reduce flooding and allow for seasonal planting. Polders are low-lying tracts of land that have been reclaimed from the sea and are surrounded by dikes that create boundaries where the water may be drained off through tide gates and automatically closed to prevent re-entry of seawater at high tide. The land surface here suffers less saltwater intrusion and allows fresh water to recharge the aquifer. Therefore, even though the groundwater cannot be used for domestic purposes, farmers can still use the land to grow rice paddy and create a reservoir to store rainwater. Polders created in Pyapon and Bogale townships in the lower Ayeyarwady delta by the Paddy I Project, initiated by the World Bank from 1976 to 1985, for many years helped reclaim abandoned farmland in lower Myanmar. The project has helped to reduce flooding, control fresh water and allow for seasonal planting. But the polders need to be built higher in order to prepare for climate change and protect against extreme cases like Cyclone Nargis, according to local engineers. That cyclone destroyed over 23,000 hectares of paddy fields in 2008, causing over 100,000 deaths in the delta..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" via Myanmar Water Portal
2019-09-10
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "IN RESPONSE to emerging environmental issues caused by heavy reliance on natural resources, Myanmar has come up with new policies on national environment and climate change as well as a master plan, Kyaw Zaw, deputy permanent secretary at the natural and environmental conservation ministry, said. The official told The Nation on Tuesday that Myanmar’s efforts in conserving the environment will become more effective once the new policies and guidelines are in place. “In the past, some of our operations were not as effective as expected because we lacked concrete policy framework and rules,” he said. “Our president recently announced the national environment policy and the climate-change master plan, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] and other development partners. We are now implementing these policies to ensure we protect our environment well.” Kyaw Zaw said the policies would be implemented through short- and long-term development plans. Also, he said, investment will be made in the implementation of policies in cooperation with development partners. President Win Myint announced the launch of the policies on June 5, World Environment Day. He said the aim was to ensure a clean environment with healthy, functioning ecosystems as well as a carbon-resilient, low-carbon society. He also urged investment in renewable energy. Kyaw Zaw, meanwhile, stressed on the need to cooperate with the private sector, urging businesses to follow the environment ministry’s instructions to create a sustainable society. “Whenever a development project is implemented, there can be adverse impacts – both socially and physically. As a regulator, we are trying to minimise such impacts,” he said. On Monday, the environment ministry held talks with World Bank Myanmar to foster cooperation in conservation work. The discussion focused on investment issues, development and capacity building works in prioritised regions, translating newly-prepared instructions into ethnic languages, effective cooperation with locals, drawing up programmes for joint funding to implement waste-management strategy, cooperation with respective states and regions to manage tourism-related wastes..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Nation Thailand"
2019-06-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Every year, June 5 marks World Environment Day. As protecting the environment is a global concern, this international day provides an occasion to question what is being done locally to fight climate change and protect our planet.
Description: "And as the degradation of the environment will be tougher on future generations, it is no surprise to see the youth raising awareness about the issue both internationally and at home. Greta Thunberg, a 16-years-old Swedish student, made the news this year by starting an international student strike, driving hundreds of thousands to the streets, with a simple question: “Why should I study for a future that soon may be no more when no one is doing anything to save that future?” Recently, the local youth took part in the global movement called “Fridays for Future”, also known as “School Strike for Climate”, to voice their concerns about the climate crisis in Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times"
2019-06-21
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Climate change doesn’t always mean extreme events that leave behind mass destruction and chaos, it isn’t always loud, . Often it’s slow and spookily quiet. This is true for the people of Pakokku, in the dry zone of Myanmar. The land is flat, hot and dry and extremely vulnerable, climate change aggravates these already extreme conditions. People from areas along the river experience flooding and are often forced to leave their homes and take refuge in the local town monastery. Further inland, the region is experiencing chronic water problems, with struggles to continue traditional farming such as growing rice paddy. Myanmar Climate Change Alliance has conducted studies on the current vulnerabilities and projections reveal that temperatures may increase up to maximum 2.7 degrees by 2050 with up to 4-17 hot days per month in the summer season compared to one hot day per month defined historically. With a loss of traditional livelihoods, many (mostly men) have had to migrate to cities or to neighbouring Thailand in search of work, which makes Pakokku more vulnerable for lack of skilled human resources in the townships, leaving women led households without alternative sources of income..."
Source/publisher: "The Global Climate Change Alliance Plus Initiative (GCCA+)"
2019-03-19
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Last two weeks on the 5th of June during World Environment Day celebrations, I was in Nyaungshwe town. By 5pm Saya O-pekyal and I attended the planting ceremony. Planting trees are higher than the height of a man; trees are known to be of species of persimmon. I haven’t asked whether it was Myanmar family or that of a neighboring country. As far as I understand whether they are of Myanmar family or foreign ones, it is important that they grow well in our homeland. During the ceremony, an authority from Town Development Committee said that something I could not ignore in accordance with the 2006 survey: the untimely death rate was as high as 20,000 because of air pollution and its related conditions. The day happened to be “ World Environment Day”; the celebrations on the theme of “ Beat Air Pollution” are being held throughout the world..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Digital News"
2019-06-29
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "After eight years collecting dust on the planning shelves and also at the confluence of the Mali and N’mai Rivers in upper Burma, the Chinese are seeking to revive the Myitsone Dam, which has been stalled since 2011 after then-President Thein Sein, in an unprecedented about-turn, put it on hold amid massive protest. In late 2009, as Asia Sentinel reported, a team of 80 Burmese and Chinese scientists and environmentalists conducted a 945-page environmental impact study of the Myitsone Dam for China Power Investment itself and concluded that the dam should never be built. Although the Chinese government ignored the recommendations of its own scientists, the Burma Rivers Network, which opposes the dam, obtained a copy of the assessment and made it public. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Electric Power-1 said it had done its own environmental assessment and the dam would be built regardless. The Myitsone dam was opposed by a wide range of environmentalists, social activists, artists and others including Aung San Suu Kyi, who requested a review of the facility earlier this year. Thousands of people have been displaced from its catchment area, which is said to be as big as the island of Singapore. Beijing nonetheless sees Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis as a perfect opportunity to rekindle the dam, which would displace thousands of local people in Kachin State and flood a vast area of significant biodiversity and natural resources..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Asia Sentinel"
2019-08-02
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The anticipated hot weather in India has been coming and going this year but in Myanmar, it has been breaking records.
Description: "Yangon, the commercial capital of Myanmar, recorded 42 degrees Celsius on Friday. According to records retrieved from archives held by the Deutscher Wetterdienst, this was a new record for the city. The previous April high temperature was listed as 41.1C. These records go back to 1881. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology in Myanmar noted new records for five cities on Friday and Yangon was not the hottest. The city and port of Chauk, on the banks of the Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar, has been hitting 45C regularly since April 12. On Thursday, Chauk notched up 46.4C, which is 5C above the average and with the air from the river keeping the relative humidity at 25 percent, these conditions are difficult to endure. U Kyaw Moe Oo, director general of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, warned that temperatures may be higher than normal this summer: it is an El Nino year and that can mean drier and hotter weather than is normal. At the moment, El Nino is weak and is forecast to stay that way throughout the summer. The monsoon rains should arrive as normal under such conditions. May is when it should start raining in Yangon. That would induce a fall in temperatures, but a rise in humidity. Nevertheless, the combination of a warming climate and a weak El Nino in the Pacific could both weaken the monsoon rains and allow a consequent hotter than normal summer..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera"
2019-04-28
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Flood waters in most parts of Ye township in Mon State began to recede on Sunday, dropping by 30 centimetres as rain that has been hitting the area has stopped for now, said Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House) MP U Myo Win.
Description: "“The worst flooding seen in Ye was recorded in 1942, and this is the second-worst flooding in 70 years. At present, water is falling gradually although people are still worried and praying there is no more heavy rain coming,” U Myo Win said. “Last night, the water rose to the upper level of two-storey houses at about 30cm per hour and people were frightened and asking for help before phone connections were lost,” he added. An estimated 5000 people who were trapped all Saturday night were rescued, and most people have been evacuated to higher ground, including Shwesandaw Pagoda and the train station in town, he said. “All phone lines were down after 5pm yesterday (Saturday). Of four major phone lines, only one worked but the connection was intermittent. We had no communications with villages, and we dared not go to Chaung Taung village, which was closest to us, because the floodwaters were so strong. We are still disconnected from Han Gan, Chaung Taung, Kyaung and Kyauk Mee Chaung villages,” he said. In the morning, the sun came out and two motorboats from the regional government arrived, he said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times"
2019-08-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "• Continuous Monsoon rain since the start of the month resulted to flooding in several areas in Southern Myanmar – Ayeyarwady, Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi. • According to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), a rain-induced landslide occurred in a village in Paung Township (Mon State) on Friday. Search & Rescue operations has so far recovered 41 dead bodies, and believed another 41 are still missing. Rescued injured residents are immediately sent to hospitals for medical care. • DDM is providing relief and cash assistance to affected families. In addition, key Government officials (including the Vice President) inspected the ongoing Search & Rescue operations in the landslide area today, and visited affected families in several areas to provide encouragement and assistance. • Initial impact data estimates at least 46,000 were displaced across Southern Myanmar due to the flooding, and at least 4,000 houses were damaged. Several bridges and roads were also damaged, further adding challenge to the ongoing disaster response operations. Damage assessment and data gathering is continuously being conducted..."
Source/publisher: "Reliefweb" via ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance
2019-08-11
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Flooding caused by the first monsoon of the season displaced more than 45,000 people, according to a statement issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-Myanmar (OCHA) on Thursday.
Description: "Flooding has affected Kachin, Rakhine, Mon and Chin states and Mandalay, Sagaing, Bago and Magwe regions. Many people have returned home, but more than 11,500 people remain at evacuation centres, as it has not rained for four days at higher altitudes and water is draining to lower-lying areas. However, rivers are still overflowing their banks and remain at dangerous levels, upstream and downstream. Water flowing along the path of the Ayeyarwady River towards lower Myanmar poses a risk in Mandalay, Magwe and Pyay. U Kyaw Moe Oo, director general of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, said July and August are among the heaviest for rainfall in Myanmar. This is the beginning of the monsoon season, and heavy rains are expected to continue across the region..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times"
2019-07-22
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The Government of Myanmar today announced its vision for the country’s environmental protection and climate action, launching two new policies that will guide Myanmar’s environmental management and climate change strategy. Myanmar is widely considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change, and its renowned biodiversity and natural resources are under increasing pressure as the country develops. More intense and more frequent floods, cyclones and droughts have caused immense loss of life and damage to infrastructure and the economy. President U Win Myint announced the two new policies – the National Environmental Policy and the Myanmar Climate Change Policy – at an event marking World Environment Day in the capital. More than 400 attended the announcement, including senior government officials from Union ministries, states and regions and representatives from civil society, academic institutions, businesses and the international community, including the acting UN Resident Coordinator and EU Ambassador..."
Source/publisher: "UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)"
2019-06-05
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "In Myanmar's central dry zone, many villages and their inhabitants are in danger. Due to climate change, which causes both excessive rainfall and prolonged droughts, the Irawaddy river is bursting its banks more often and more destructively. Hundreds of acres are now permanently underwater, farmers have lost their land and livelihood and many villagers have lost their homes. Those who have been able to reconstruct their houses away from the flood-prone areas are now in danger of losing their homes again. Moving away even further is not an option for most, since the river they now fear, is also the main source of livelihood of this community of farmers and fishermen. Cordaid helps the community by mapping the risks and creating contingency and mitigation plans following a proven disaster risk reduction method. The villagers themselves express and document their greatest worries and needs, after which Cordaid's local resilience partners help the community to find a solution to their problems. This could entail planting trees to prevent the soil from eroding or the construction of dikes to stop the floods, just to name a few examples..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Cordaid International, Cyril Myint Soe
2019-07-04
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "People living in Myanmar's Dry Zone are facing the impact of climate change on their lives. The project, Addressing Climate Change Risks on Water Resources and Food Security in the Dry Zone of Myanmar aims to reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity of the dry zone communities through improved water management, crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. The Adaptation Fund project is being implemented by UNDP in collaboration with the Government of the Union of Myanmar. Category..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UNDP Myanmar
2017-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar is generally regarded as a country endowed with rich natural resources: minerals, forests, fertile agricultural lands with plentiful of Monsoon rains, and opulent marine resources. • Located between the east Himalayan syntaxis and the Andaman Sea to the south, washed by the Bay of Bengal on the west, Myanmar links Alpine- Himalayan orogenic belt to the west with its extension in the rest of Southeast Asia. • Myanmar is natural hazard or disaster prone country, being located in the tectonically active Alpide Seismic Belt. • Because of rapid growth in population, industries and urban areas, like elsewhere in the developing world, environmental degradation and other man-made hazards or disasters are also on the rise...ဓ
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Myanmar Environment Institute (MEI)
2015-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 2.2 MB
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Description: "Their village of Sin Ka in Chauk Township, in the Magway Region, has only one well that serves 700 people. It is a 20 minute walk away and costs US$0.60 to fill a 200 litre barrel. This is a serious burden on Daung Yi and her husband, who look after a family of 12, including children and grandparents. Many landless people in Myanmar’s Dry Zone work as seasonal farm labourers, migrating to urban areas during non-planting time to find temporary employment. Chronic poverty is directly correlated with the effects of drought and climate change..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
2016-09-08
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "World leaders are gathering in Poland for the COP24 summit. They will be discussing ways of implementing the historic Paris Accords, aimed at reducing global warming and cutting emissions. Myanmar may be a long way from where the conference is being held, but it is a country where climate change is having a dramatic effect. Nick Davies-Jones reports..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: TRT World
2018-12-05
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The greenhouse is present for two centuries. Greenhouse gases are necessary because without it the earth would be too cold to hold liquid water but limited. From those years the greenhouse gases called Carbon dioxide effect has increased in concentration by about 50%. That is boosting to change climate “Climate Changes”. Climate change has profound impacts on the earth's resources and the environment in onshore as well as offshore. Here one of the earth's resources is Groundwater that is threading by climate change. In Myanmar, Groundwater in coastal areas and delta area closed to the sea are starts facing that effect. Of that sea level rising by ice, glaciers melting are causing the greatest sign of seawater intrusion to Groundwater at Ayeyarwaddy delta area in Myanmar, mostly in the lower part of widening delta area. And impacts of climate change on Groundwater are slower than others such as surface water but permanently worsen the groundwater by depletion and degradation. Climate changes are linking with sea level rising, saltwater intrusion, increasing temperature, precipitation and recharge to groundwater. These points are threatening to Groundwater in the long-term. According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Myanmar is the second most vulnerable in the world to the impacts of climate change from 1993 to 2014 (Kreft et al., 2014). 2 - Ayeyarwady Delta and Coastal Region The Ayeyarwady Delta fans out from the limit of tidal influence at Myan Aung to the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The low land (Alluvial plain) of Delta is as low as just 3 meters above sea level. Length of the coastal of the lower seaward third of the delta is completely flat with no local relief and stretches for 130 kilometers from east to west. The sea is very shallow with depths less than 5.5 m across the coastline. Deforestation has changed the landscape. As a result of constant accretion into the sea, the delta is advancing year by year. One scientific study estimated that the Delta lost 1,685 km2 (651 mi2) from 1978 to 2011..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Water Portal
2019-07-18
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
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Description: "Within the framework of the capacity building program for Myanmar urban services providers implemented by GRET (ROSAMUR project), a comprehensive assessment study on sanitation in Magway city was conducted with the key following objectives: To gather and analyze data and information on sanitation conditions, including all different aspects: regulatory, institutional, financial, capacity, technical, etc. To draw the faecal waste flow in Magway city to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current system To suggest priorities improvement for each component of the sanitation service chain according to the conclusion of the assessment The following report is in Myanmar language and presents the conclusions of this study.....ဤအစီရင်ခံစာတွင်၂၀၁၇ခုနှစ်၊စက်တင်ဘာလမှ၂၀၁၈ခုနှစ်၊ဇန်နဝါရီလအထိ လေ့လာတွေ့ရှိရသော ရေဆိုးစွန့်ပစ်စနစ်နှင့်ပတ်သက်သည့်လေ့လာချက်များနှင့်အနှစ်ချုပ်တွေ့ရှိချက်များကိုတင်ပြထားပါသ ည်။ ဤလေ့လာမှုသည်GRETမှအကောင်အထည်ဖော်ပြီး ပြင်သစ်အလှူရှင်များမှ ရန်ပုံငွေ မတည် ထားသော Rosamurပရောဂျက်၏ တစ်စိတ်တစ်ပိုင်းဖြစ်ကာမကွေးမြို့အတွက် ရေပေးဝေမှုစနစ် ရေဆိုးစွန့်ပစ်မှုနှင့် အမှိုက်သရိုက်အညစ်အကြေးများစီမံခန့်ခွဲမှုလုပ်ငန်းများ ဖံ့ွ ဖြိုးတိုးတက်စေရန် ရည်ရွယ်ချက်အတွက်ဖြစ်ပါသည်။ ကနဦးလေ့လာတွေ့ရှိချက်များနှင့်ကွင်းဆင်းလေ့လာမှု့များအရ မကွေးမြို့၏ရေဆိုးစွန့်ပစ်မှုအခြေအနေနှင့်ပတ်သက်၍အားကိုးအားထားပြုရမည့်အချက်အလက်များ လုံးဝမရှိသည့်အပြင်ရေဆိုးစွန့်ပစ်စနစ်နှင့်ပတ်သက်ပြီးမြို့၏အခြေအနေနှင့်ပြည်သူလူထု၏လက်တွေ့ ကျင့်သုံးမှုအပိုင်းမှာလည်း စိတ်ကျေနပ်မှုမရှိသည်ကို တွေ့ရှိရပါသည်။ ထိုအခြေအနေကိုကောင်းမွန်လာစေရန်အလို့ငှာမြို့၏လက်ရှိအခြေအနေကိုနားလည်ပြီး တိကျ မှန်ကန်သော သတင်းအချက်အလက်များစုဆောင်းရန်လိုအပ်ပါသည်။ ထိုသို့သောအကြောင်းအရာများကြောင့်GRETမှမကွေးမြို့တွင်ရေဆိုးစွန့်ပစ်စနစ်နှင့်ပတ်သက်သော ရှင်းလင်းသည့် လေ့လာအကဲဖြတ်မှုများကို အောက်ပါရည်ရွယ်ချက်များဖြင့် ပြုလုပ်ပါသည်။ 1) ရေဆိုးစနွ့်ပစ်မှုအခြေအနေများနှင့်ပတ်သက်၍သတင်းအချက်အလက်များကိုစည်းမျဉ်းစည်းကမ်း ဆိုင်ရာ၊ဖွဲ့စည်းပုံဆိုင်ရာ၊ ငွေကြေးဆိုင်ရာ၊စွမ်းဆောင်ချက်ဆိုင်ရာ၊နည်းစနစ်ပိုင်းဆိုင်ရာစသည်တို့ကိုရှုထောင့်အမျိုးမျိုးမှပါ ဝင်အောင်စုဆောင်းရန်။ 2) မကွေးမြို့၏မိလ္လာအညစ်အကြေးစီးဆင်းမှုကို ရေးဆွဲပြီး လက်ရှိမိလ္လာရေစီးလမ်းကြောင်း စနစ်၏ အားသာ ချက်နှင့် အားနည်းချက်တို့ကို လေ့လာရန်။ 3) လေ့လာတွေ့ရှိချက်များအပေါ်မူတည်၍ရေဆိုးစွန့်ပစ်စနစ်လုပ်ငန်းစဉ်၏ ဦးစားပေး လုပ်ငန်း တစ်ခုချင်းစီ ဖံ့ွ ဖြိုးတိုးတက်မှုအတကွ ် အကြံပြုရန်။..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Water Portal
2019-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "THE IMPACT of climate change in Myanmar is likely to be immense and will play out in multi-dimensional ways. Beyond that, though, it is difficult to predict. In remote, upland areas of the country that are controlled or influenced by ethnic armed groups, political, economic and social trajectories are likely to diverge from the rest of Myanmar. Already, in some parts of the country, the monsoon – which provides most of the rainfall for agriculture on which about 70 percent of the population depends – is up to 30 days shorter, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Upland areas are projected to experience particularly steep rises in average temperatures, with devastating impacts on harvests, livelihoods and possibly the bare sustainability of human life. However, upland areas will be less severely affected by the rising sea levels that could destroy coastal areas. Myanmar is among the countries most vulnerable to rising sea levels. Low-lying farmland, such as in the Ayeyarwady delta, is at risk of flooding and salination, as well as being exposed to extreme weather, such as the devastation wrought by Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Neighbouring Bangladesh faces the same dangers, and in the not too distant future millions of Bangladeshis may become climate change refugees. Many of them may have little choice but to head east to Myanmar, as well as north and west to India. Combined with the domestic impacts of climate change, this would be highly destabilising, and could even undermine the viability of the state. Although not much discussed in the mainstream media, the possibility of climate change severely disrupting the basic parameters of modern social and economic life cannot be discounted. In this context, Myanmar's ethnic armed groups may receive a new lease of life. In Southeast Asia since the end of the Cold War, the viability of armed struggle by insurgent groups to achieve political goals has been in decline. Only in Myanmar and the Philippines do significant non-state armed groups remain active. Amid a failing peace process, and despite their political legitimacy among many conflict-affected communities, ethnic armed groups in Myanmar are struggling to demonstrate continued political relevance. However, they may experience a revival in fortunes if the state in Myanmar is severely weakened by the impact of climate change..."
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Source/publisher: Myanmar Water Portal via "Frontier Myanmar"
2019-07-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: A young Yangonite looked up at a darkened sky above. The wind drove a bank of black clouds immediately overhead, and his face suddenly became more sullen, "Not again!" He was about to cross Sule Pagoda Road, which was congested with cars and trucks blasti
Description: "When it rains on Saturday, people will say, "It always takes longer on Saturday for the rain to come." This means that either sporadically or continuously, it will usually rain all day that day – even if it is just a drizzle. He had just stepped out on the pavement when the raindrops suddenly came down from the sky, hitting his upturned face. He had to run to a place where he could shelter for half an hour or so, and he knew that most of the teashops were already full of people sipping sweetened tea and keeping dry. He understood that he had to wait for 15 or 20 minutes until the rain would let up. But today he forgot his umbrella. Travelling through the city on foot during the monsoon season can be tricky, especially without an umbrella – assuming, of course, you want to stay dry. The streets are full of people drenched in water, longyis and tee-shirts clinging to their bodies, as they make their way home. Most people in Yangon carry umbrellas, rather than wear raincoats. Even when it's not raining, pedestrians need to give others a wide-berth on the sidewalks – people of all heights and numbers sheltering themselves from the sun with their umbrellas, as they walk from street to street. Innocent passersby, while making haste through the crowd, get poked by the odd umbrella spoke. Sometimes umbrellas clash, given how narrow the elevated streets in the city are. It can be quite an art sometimes, holding an umbrella up high, and trying to angle it to pass through the sea of heads, other umbrellas and shop signs. Everyone notices that the rain is punctual, especially during the rush hours. You will find files of people waiting for the buses at bus stops, while the rain falls heavily. They'll all be tightly clinging to an umbrella. Umbrellas come from various countries, such as China and Thailand. There are different brands names too – Yamasu, Pigeon, Sonata, Susino, Asahi, Eagle Force, etc. Some golf umbrellas are used by taller people not wanting to get the bottoms of their longyis we..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Water Portal " Myanmar Times"
2019-07-19
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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