September 3, 2026
A woman was swept away by surging floodwaters after a riverbank collapsed in Kalay Township, Sagaing Region, according to local residents.
Continuous heavy rains leading up to September 2 caused the U-Poke creek, located near Bandoola Road in the Pinlon ward of Kalay, to overflow. A woman in her fifties, identified as Daw Ah Win, was swept away by the current when the riverbank she was standing on suddenly collapsed.
“The bank collapsed near where they live. She was looking at the rising water and warning her neighbors when the bank suddenly gave way, taking her with it. It has been raining continuously for three or four days now. Mountain runoff has swelled the creek, flooding fields, washing over roads, and entering city wards,” a resident of Kalay explained.
As of the time of reporting, Daw Ah Win, who is originally a resident of Taung Zalat ward, remains missing.
In addition to this tragic incident, the severe flooding has forced internally displaced persons (IDPs) and residents in low-lying areas to evacuate their current shelters and seek refuge on higher ground.
“People living in huts in low-lying areas are moving to higher ground. Even in the forest areas where IDPs are sheltering, the rising water has forced people to climb onto their hut roofs or flee to safer, elevated areas,” the resident added.
Due to the relentless monsoon rains, some low-lying sections of the highway outside Kalay are currently submerged. Phaung Ku village, located alongside the highway, has also been heavily inundated. In response, local defense forces are actively conducting rescue operations, evacuating stranded locals and relocating them to the St. Mary High School.
