August 12, 2026
Low-lying wards in Hpa-An, Karen State, are currently inundated as the Thanlwin (Salween) River overflows, triggered by high ocean tides in the early month of Wagaung.
While the military junta has opened temporary relief camps, mostly manual laborers and daily wage earners living in fragile shelters have relocated. A local ward resident explained that families with more possessions are choosing to stay in their flooded homes due to a deep fear of burglaries, a common occurrence during past evacuations.
“Only daily wage earners and squatters whose huts are completely submerged run to the relief camps. Those with stable businesses and properties do not go to the camps. Instead, they move their belongings to the upper floors and send their elderly to relatives in the city. If the whole family leaves, the house is almost guaranteed to be broken into. Because they fear thieves, most choose not to evacuate,” the resident detailed.
The Thanlwin River in Hpa-An has now exceeded its danger mark of 750 centimeters by over 3 feet. The junta’s meteorology department issued a warning on August 11, urging residents in low-lying and riverbank areas to evacuate as continuous rains could push water levels even higher.
With the rising river and overflowing drains inundating main roads and neighborhoods, rescue workers report that 27 temporary relief camps have been set up in local schools and sports halls. These camps are currently providing food and shelter to affected residents from 11 wards and villages.
Since 2018, Hpa-An has faced this severe flooding annually during the monsoon months of Waso and Wagaung. The crisis typically lasts for nearly a month, occurring when continuous monsoon rains, mountain runoff, and high tides from the Gulf of Martaban dangerously coincide.
