The broken embankment on the bank of the Ayeyawady River near Shwege Sewage Pumping Station in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region, has flooded the nearby wards and villages affecting nearly 5,000 people, according to initial sources.

The embankment collapsed after a leakage of water through a large hole in the sewage pumping station project area on July 19.

Local people said they had never experienced such large floods.

“Our village used to experience floods caused by an embankment collapse. It was over 20 years ago. Now, a sewage pumping station is being built near the village. The leakage from the station caused the embankment to collapse. Local people here don’t like the project. They think the embankment collapse was caused by the project,” a local from Shwege Village said.

Situated in Shwege Village, the project is being implemented by Mandalay City Development Committee.

Now, repair work is going on and local residents are being evacuated with the help of authorities.

Mandalay Region Chief Minister Dr Zaw Myint Maung visited the scene on the morning of July 20.

He said the repair work would take about three days or may even take longer if the breakup worsened. But, he promised all necessary measures the union government and his regional government could take.

Currently, local people express their concern about more floods as the broken embankment is not well under control.

According to local sources available on the night of July 20, about 5,000 local people were evacuated to 14 places.

In the afternoon that day, Vice President Henry Van Thio together with the union minister for construction and the union minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement visited the scene for inspection.

Officials reported that repair work must be done in time as the Ayeyawady River may reach danger level in next three to five days.

Repair and maintenance tasks have started after the embankment collapse area has been designated as danger area.

Some criticism has erupted that the embankment breakup was caused by the Shwege sewage pumping station project being implemented by MCDC near the Ayeyawady River bank in Amarapura Township.

A leakage was reportedly caused from the embankment under the sluice gate while four steel pipelines with 1000 mm in diameter were being laid.

While rescue work was going on, the embankment had cracked about 15 feet wide. It totally collapsed at about 2.30 am on July 20.

Mandalay Region Minister for Electricity, Energy and Construction Zarni Aung said an investigation would be lunched into the incident.

The project started with a loan from Asian Development Bank at the place where the embankment broke up.