19 Dead in Myanmar Floods

At least 19 people have been killed in Myanmar following severe flooding triggered by heavy rains in the capital Naypyidaw and surrounding areas, according to the National Fire Service.

Rescue teams have evacuated around 3,600 displaced individuals to safer locations using boats.

The extreme weather, caused by the powerful Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Asia this year, has wreaked havoc across the region.

Over 230 people have died in Vietnam and Thailand due to the storm, as floods from overflowing rivers submerged cities in both countries.

Myanmar, already in turmoil since the military coup in February 2021, now faces further instability as violence continues to spread across the country.

The military is battling armed resistance from new opposition groups and ethnic minority militias, compounded by a deepening economic crisis that is likely to worsen due to the floods.

Satellite imagery analysis by the UN-supported Myanmar Information Management Unit showed that about162 square kilometers around Naypyidaw were submerged as of Thursday.

An additional 366 square kilometers around Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay, were also flooded.

Nearly one-third of Myanmar's 55 million people need humanitarian assistance. However, aid agencies like the International Committee of the Red Cross face severe restrictions and security risks that prevent them from accessing many areas.