“Myanmar Spring Chronicle – June 1 Viewpoint” (MoeMaKa, June 2, 2025):
Lives Caught Between War and Floods, as Mandalay Struggles to Recover from the Earthquake
The lives of the people in Myanmar today are tragically caught between multiple disasters—war, floods, and earthquakes—all striking simultaneously.
Two months after the powerful earthquake struck Sagaing and Mandalay regions, some residents—many of whom are internally displaced persons (IDPs) from northern Shan State and Kachin State who had fled conflict—lost their lives in Mandalay during the quake. As communities continue their recovery efforts, parts of Kachin State are now facing flooding.
Reports indicate that some urban neighborhoods where IDPs reside have been submerged. In Hpakant, floodwaters surged through displacement shelters, submerging them. Hpakant is a town that has come under KIA control in recent months. Although the area is known for its rich forests and beautiful environment along the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy River, environmental degradation from logging, mining, and gold extraction has severely weakened the region’s resilience—now evident in the severity of natural disasters during the monsoon season.
Following the flooding in Hpakant, the waters have now reached Myitkyina, the state capital. As of the evening of May 31, low-lying neighborhoods in Myitkyina began to flood, and by June 1, water levels had reached near-danger levels. With heavy upstream rainfall, more water is expected to flow downstream through the Irrawaddy River, potentially causing further flooding in downstream towns and villages.
Towns already affected by war or the earthquake—many situated along the Irrawaddy—may now face added hardship from the floods.
In the absence of an effective disaster preparedness and governance system, and without sufficient funding, the general population continues to bear the brunt of these intersecting crises.
The war and mismanagement of resources have severely damaged the environment, and in turn, that environmental destruction is worsening the impact of natural disasters. This vicious cycle—between war-driven destruction and nature’s retaliation—is the tragic reality facing Myanmar’s population today.
The military, which claimed to have liberated the country from colonialism, has evolved into a power-hungry institution, dragging Myanmar into eight decades of civil conflict. Today’s natural disasters—earthquake, flood—coincide with man-made disasters—military dictatorship, environmental destruction.
As people still suffer without shelter under the monsoon rains in quake-stricken towns like Mandalay and Sagaing two months after the disaster, questions must be asked: Is the junta truly prioritizing recovery? Or is it more focused on its political agenda, including the planned year-end elections?
Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city and a major economic hub, was hit hardest by the earthquake. Damaged buildings continue to collapse during ongoing manual demolition, resulting in further casualties. On May 31, one worker died and two were injured when a damaged building collapsed in Chan Aye Tharzan Township. A similar incident occurred the day before in the same area.
Due to narrow space, high rental costs, and a shortage of machinery, manual labor is being used for demolitions—despite the risks.
While Mandalay struggles to recover, the military council appears more focused on military operations and the upcoming elections than helping the city rebuild. This indifference underscores the extent to which the ruling junta prioritizes power over people’s lives.