Yangon experienced unseasonal heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds in the afternoon of April 9.

“Today, it rained heavily in the afternoon. The Department of Meteorology  and Hydrology had already warned about unexpected rain and strong winds. In Thaketa, where we live, the rain and wind were intense—doors were slamming shut on their own,” said a resident of Thaketa Township.

The downpour affected multiple townships, including Kyauktada, Tamwe, and Dagon.

“In Tamwe Township, we also faced heavy rain and strong winds. The roof of my betel quid shop was nearly blown off,” said another local.

The DMH reported that a low-pressure area over the southern Bay of Bengal persists and is expected to move northwest, potentially reaching the central-western Bay of Bengal by April 10.

Due to the interaction of warm air from the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal with cold air from a high-pressure system over China, as well as the influence of easterly wave disturbances and strong convective cloud development, scattered to widespread thundershowers are forecasted from April 7 to 11 in in Nay Pyi Taw,Yangon, Mandalay, Bago, Magway, and Ayeyarwady regions and Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, and Shan states. Meanwhile, patchy rain is expected in Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Kachin, and Chin regions.

From April 12 to 15, more intense thundershowers are predicted across Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay, Bago, Magway, Sagaing, Ayeyarwady, and Tanintharyi regions and Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, and Shan states. Some areas may experience heavy downpours.

Residents are urged to stay alert for unexpected heavy rain and strong winds, thunderstorms and lightning strikes, hailstorms and landslides.