A shortage of rescue workers is hampering efforts to evacuate residents of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina to safety as water levels in the city continue to rise, according to locals.
Residents of wards next to the Ayeyarwady River began fleeing their homes late Sunday, but flooding has since spread to other areas, including the downtown core, sources told Myanmar Now.
“Almost every ward in downtown Myitkyina has started to experience flooding,” said one resident, noting that even people living in Si Tar Pu Ward, the most elevated part of the city, have begun to relocate.
One of the few areas still not under water as of late Monday was the Myitkyina Myoma Market. However, the Yaytin wet market in Myoma Ward was reported to be inundated.
All schools and markets in the city have been closed since the flooding began, and those able to escape their homes have. . .
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