Floods damage over 200,000 acres of monsoon paddy in Bago

​11 August 18 - Floods destroyed over 200,000 acres of monsoon paddy in Bago region, according to the figures from Myanmar Agriculture Service (Bago).

In the last week of late July, floods hit 494,681 acres of monsoon paddy in Bago region due to the rising water levels at Sittoung, Shwegyin and Bago Rivers.

According the figures collected until August 8, 176,862 acres of monsoon paddy remain under floodwater. A total of 203,994 acres of monsoon paddy have been damaged by floods.

Tin San, a paddy farmer from Pyathaung village in Taungoo Township said: "Floods destroyed my paddy fields. Flooding is common every year. But this year, I have to directly scatter paddy seeds into farms. Due to incessant rains, paddy plants do not grow. So paddy plants are not resistant to floods as the life of paddy plants is short."

Lay Myint, head of Bago District Agricultural Department said: "No exact lists of damaged paddy farms have been received. The department helps farmers plough paddy fields, timely re-grow paddy plants in flood-hit paddy farms and provide them with paddy seeds and fertilizers, in cooperation with the Agricultural Mechanization Department."

From July 23 to 29, the river water level in Bago exceeded its danger mark. The government closed more than 360 schools and evacuated 70,000 flood victims. 

​Source: Eleven Myanmar

​Source Link: http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/local/14530