Flood-ravaged Southeast Asia struggles to recover from Typhoon Yagi’s devastation
By Chainarong Monthienvichienchai, LiCAS News
In northern Myanmar, the Sunday Eucharistic Liturgy at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in the northern Taungngu region was filled with flood-affected and displaced people of all faiths, according to Jesuit Fr. Girish Santiago, the Regional Superior of the Myanmar Dependent Region.
“In some areas, the flood water current is still running strong at about two feet,” noted Fr. Santiago, adding that while their cathedral is water-free as it is on higher ground, the nearby Anglican St. Paul’s Cathedral is still inundated.
The junta in Myanmar announced that floods have hit more than 50 townships, with over 600,000 people affected and more than 300 deaths, with around 90 people still missing. While water levels are receding in several northern regions, the situation remains critical.
Typhoon Yagi, one of the strongest storms to hit the region this year, also wreaked havoc in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, with hundreds confirmed dead in northern Vietnam.
In Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, the Bishop of the northernmost , Joseph Vuthilert Haelom, reported that residents, volunteers, and local officials have been working tirelessly on a major clean-up of roads in the provincial center, especially in the hard-hit Mae Sai District, which borders Myanmar.
Despite the progress, the cathedral remains unusable, and the Bishop’s residence is still uninhabitable due to extensive damage. Additionally, the school on site will remain closed until at least the middle of next month.
“The cleaning and the clearing of mud and debris in the cathedral compound are now about 70% done, but major repairs are still required,” Bishop Haelom told LiCAS News.
“Every day except Sunday, we have about one hundred volunteers, including St. Paul de Chartres Sisters, Camillian Sisters, and Sacred Heart of Jesus Sisters, who have been working very hard to get things back to normal. But it may take until the middle of next month before we can operate as normal.”
The clean-up efforts have been hindered by ongoing rain, with mud and debris still deeply covering roads in some areas.
Excavators and heavy trucks are being used to clear the way, but many cars remain buried or stranded in the mud, as their owners wait for the operation to progress.
Catholic parishes and teams from the diocese have started daily visits to provide assistance to the affected families, both Thai and non-Thai from the neighboring country. They are offering food, drinking water, and household materials to the families. So far, state relief aid have yet to reach these families.
The teams, consisting of priests, religious, and lay volunteers, have also crossed over the border at Mae Sai district to visit a village where 10 families perished during landslides, two of whom were Catholics.
As the region grapples with the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, the dust created by the cleaning process has also become a new challenge, making it difficult for residents to breathe.
The road to recovery remains arduous, but communities are coming together to support one another through this crisis.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), as of September 16, the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority reported 291 fatalities, 38 people missing, and 237,000 homes damaged due to the typhoon, rains, and landslides.
Additionally, 84,000 homes were flooded, and 1,530 schools along with 570 health facilities sustained damage. The Minister of Planning and Investment noted initial damage assessments from the typhoon estimated at VND40 trillion ($1.6 billion). Approximately three million people were affected, including 1.3 million across 26 provinces with damaged and flooded homes.
In Myanmar, UN OCHA said as of September 17, there have been 113 reported deaths. In Mandalay, the Yamethin area alone saw over 53,000 people affected. The breach of the Sa Mone Dam resulted in flooding across 12 villages, submerging 40,000 acres of farmland and leaving 10,000 people in urgent need of aid.
In Bago, flooding in Taungoo Township exceeded levels seen in August, impacting 1,200 households. Overall, more than 87,000 people were affected in six townships within Bago Region.
Eastern Shan experienced flash floods that destroyed a key bridge, disrupting transport and communication, while Southern Shan reported widespread flooding affecting 13 townships and damaging tourism infrastructure.
In the Southeast, Mon, Kayin, and Kayah states suffered severe flooding, impacting IDP camps and low-lying areas. In Nay Pyi Taw, heavy flooding affected four townships, impacting around 60,000 people.
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