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	In January, almost 20,000 refugees fled their homes in Kachin and Northern Shan states due to conflicts involving ethnic armed forces, UNOCHA says, adding that most were fleeing battles in Kokang. About 13,000 of those refugees had just returned to their homes after working elsewhere, while the rest escaped the unrest by going to China.</div>
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	According to government reports, some armed conflict refugees have gone back to their homes in the Kokang region and Kachin and Northern Shan states. The government has focused on ensuring refugees have better living arrangements before the monsoon season arrives, and in March launched projects to improve shelter.</div>
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	Within Rakhine state, there are about 40,000 living in refugee camps, which are situated about 500 metres from the shoreline. Since some camps are situated on lower ground, the monsoons could pose life-threatening dangers for inhabitants.</div>
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	Myanmar faces the threat of natural disasters and violent weather every year. Preparations to date for such events have focused on the coming rainy season.</div>
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Nearly 250,000 Myanmar refugees due to armed conflicts

The number of Myanmar refugees has grown to almost 250,000 since 2011 due to armed conflicts across the country, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports.