Severe flood hit Mae Ra Moe Refugee Camp

Days of torrential rains caused flooding and landslides in Mae Ra Moo Camp that destroyed 400 houses and 3 rice stores with 3000 bags of rice last August 3. Such magnitude of a disaster was the first to happen in the refugee camp since its establishment in 1995. Fortunately, no casualty or injury or missing persons were reported.

According to the Karen Refugee Committee, the flood happened in the daytime so people were able to escape for safety to higher ground. The affected families are cramped to school, church, library, friend’s house, damp women school and highest place which are not affected by the flooding during the level of the water rose from Yuan River that flows right in the middle of the most affect areas.

Those whose homes are located in precarious locations have also been evacuated to safer places. Others opted to stay with their relatives and friends until such time emergency assistance arrive and start rebuilding their homes.

In the last few days, it is impossible to get into the camps due to numerous landslides and fallen trees in the mountain pass that prevents vehicles from coming in, and yesterday,  the Thailand-Burma Border Consortium and other relief and humanitarian organizations went  into the camps to provide relief assistance after blocked roads are being repaired slowly.  

Some schools and other social infrastructures were also destroyed by the floods; classes have been suspended for the safety of the students and children. According to KRC, schools are to be reopened again is depending on the flooding situation. People in the camp are now repairing the damaged roads, schools and other infrastructures.

Mae Ra Moe refugee Camp is located in the Mae Sariang District in Mae Hong Son Province, and 150 km away from Mae Sariang and was established in 1995. General population in Mae Ra Moe Refugee Camp in 2011 is 19,316, according to KRC’s statement. Thuleikawwei