Due to heavy rains on July 28, floods occurred in Indawgyi and Hopin regions destroying hundreds of acres of farmlands and leaving local farmers unable to cultivate their paddy, according to local sources and government staff who collected data there.
According to the land record division of the Agricultural Department in Kachin State, more than 600 acres of farmland owned by about 100 farmers in Mamong Kaing, Nantmon, Hepu, and Lonesant village-tracts, and over 200 acres of farmland owned by 222 farmers from 7th mile village, Myothit Kalay and Inlay villages in Hopin region were destroyed.
On the morning of July 28, mountain torrents from Nantmon, Hepu, Nant Maw Kan, Maingnaung, and Khaungtone areas caused floods in Mamong Kaing , Maingnaung , Sanwin Kone, Inthar, Hepu and Lonesant villages covered with mud, sand, pebbles and branches. Hopin area was flooded with torrents and Hopin-Indawgyi road was also flooded.
“I think we usually got that amount of rain in the past, but this year flooding was a disaster. A seven-mile raidus from Maingnaung to Nantmon was covered with water and it was like an ocean. The damage to farmlands was caused by mountain landslides. Those farmlands are unable to cultivate again. Farmers were incapable of planting again. There are many farmers who lost more than ten acres of farmland. Some farmers are preparing to grow groundnut and soybean. Farmlands covered with pebbles and rubbish were left as it was,” said a local from Maingnaung village.
“Last year, 6 acres of my farmland were flooded. It cost over Ks.1 million to clear the farmland borrowing back hole. This year, my lands were again flooded with sand just after paddy cultivation. The total losses may be over Ks.2 million. I’m intending to grow groundnut and soybean as it isn’t possible to grow paddy again. It looks like we may face the same case in the coming year because when we look at the mountain, we can see only earth, not trees,” said U Kyaw from Hepu village.
A staff who made survey in the area said that mud from the road reached to the thigh level. Ruined farmlands were unable to grow paddy again. The main causes are forest depletion, rivers drying up, and lessening bamboo in the local areas. It isn’t possible to make land repair from the government side. No staff desires to go as there isn’t stability in the area.
The Indawgyi lake conservation group said that this incident may repeat in the future and it may cause the lake to dry up.
“According to the survey, such a disaster may occur every year. It shows that we need to pay to attention to environmental conservation. Due to torrents, mountains may collapse and it all ends in Indawgyi Lake, said a man from Indawgyi lake conservation group.
Hepu village and its environs got heavy rain and experienced flooding in July 23, 2022 and it led to changes in water ways and resulted in destruction of over 60 acres of farmland.
