US seeks help for Myanmar flood victims

In a statement released today, it said that flooding continues to affect hundreds of thousands of people across Myanmar.

"The US Embassy is coordinating with humanitarian partners to assess the damage and encourage a quick response for all those in need of assistance," it said. 

In Rakhine State, one four areas severely affected by the flooding, over 18 casualties were reported. More than 4,000 houses, 37 schools and and more than 280,000 acres of farmlands are inundated. As of August 1, there are 53 camps in the state hosting over 80,000 flood victims.

Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing visited Rakhine State on August 1, to donate money worth Ks250 million to flood victims. 

“We feel very sorry. We’ve learnt that this is the most severe flooding in seventy years. Low casualties are good news in the bad situation. We are helping them with two helicopters. We need to help each other to overcome the difficulties," he said. 

Farmers are badly affected, leading the Myanmar Farmers' Development Party to ask for more time to submit election candidate applications in the flood-affected regions including Magway, Sagaing and Bago. Its chairperson Kyaw Swa Soe said that the cyclone has hit most of Myanmar, damaging transport and hindering the application process. As such, the Union Election Commission should delay the deadline as candidates were struggling to cope with the natural disaster.

"All candidates in the flood-hit regions may lose national registration cards and other documents while fleeing their homes. We are not asking for the postponement of the elections, just to extend the deadline for submission of candidate applications," he said. 

Last month Kyaw Swa Soe urged the UEC to extend the period for the selection of candidates and postpone the election for three months.

The UEC is allowing the submission of candidates until August 8.