TACHILEIK, Myanmar – Prolonged heavy rains have caused severe flooding in Tachileik, a border town with Thailand, leading to widespread power and communication outages. The flooding has submerged streets, homes, and motorcycles, disrupting daily life for the town’s 60,000 residents.
Residents reported challenges navigating the red-brown floodwaters, with some stranded at their workplaces and others attempting to salvage their properties. Phoo Phoo, a local resident, described the situation as dire, with telephone and electricity lines down and homes inundated.
Images from the area depict people wading through floodwaters and taking refuge on rooftops. Across the border in Mae Sai, Thailand, similar flooding has been observed, with local authorities warning of continued heavy rains in the northern region.
The flooding follows a recent incident where a boat mishap on the Mekong river, near Tachileik, resulted in the disappearance of at least 20 individuals. The ongoing rainy season, exacerbated by climate change, has intensified weather patterns in Southeast Asia, leading to increasingly severe conditions.