Irrawaddy Dam Wall Shifts, Villages Below Dam Emergency Evacuated as Water Released into Creek

Mamyar Dam retaining embankment collapses, villages below the dam forced into emergency evacuation; water being released into the creek

October 10

It is reported that the retaining embankment of Mamyar Dam in Myanaung Township, Ayeyarwady Region, collapsed, forcing nearby villages to be urgently evacuated to safety overnight.

It is reported that from around 11:30 PM on the night of October 9 until after 2 AM, large-scale collapses of the earthen retaining walls occurred, leaving only the dam embankment remaining.

"Because the situation is such that the dam could break, villages below have been taking shelter since last night. Whether it will break or not, we can't say for sure—it's a matter of fate. It hasn't broken yet, but they are preparing to discharge water through the spillway into Mamyar Creek," a local resident said.

Mamyar Dam is a major dam that annually supplies water to over 5,500 acres of summer paddy in Myanaung Township and Ingapu Township, and it is reported to have a water storage capacity of over 71,000 acre-feet.

"The bedrock consists of stone used for making slate, and as of this morning it is still in a condition where it could break. Although water is being discharged through the spillway, I don't think it can be controlled," another local resident added.

It is reported that the military junta fired warning shots to force approximately 900 people from Sanywar Gyi Village Tract, Yaykwin Village, Mayay Kone Village Tract, Ywarthit Kone Village, Ngapyat Kya Village Tract, and Yaynan Chet Kho Kone Village—villages below Mamyar Dam that could be inundated by dam water—to flee to higher ground safe from flooding.

It is reported that in early September, a 75-foot-long, 60-foot-wide section of the dam's earthen retaining embankment collapsed, and local residents had to work together to repair it. It is also reported that if Mamyar Dam were to break, almost all townships in Myanaung District and Hinthada District could be flooded.

MyoTaw News Channel