At least six residents were killed on Thursday after being swept away by floodwaters in Sagaing Region’s Depayin Township.
Days of relentless monsoon rainfall combined with large water discharges from the Thapanzeik Dam spillway have inundated more than 50 villages across Depayin and Taze townships, forcing over 10,000 people to evacuate their homes.
Dam Discharges Inundate Resistance-Controlled Townships
The flooding intensified following emergency water releases from the Thapanzeik Dam, located in regime-controlled Kyunhla Township—roughly 15 to 40 miles (24 to 64 km) north of Taze and Depayin, and 110 miles (177 km) north of the Sagaing Region capital, Monywa.
Depayin and Taze, situated 40 to 80 miles (64 to 128 km) north of Monywa, are partially controlled by local People’s Defense Force (PDF) operating under the civilian National Unity Government (NUG).
Local PDF units have deployed emergency response teams across the inundated zones to manage rescue operations and medical aid.
“We are providing emergency medical assistance and moving elderly residents and those in poor health. Water levels are rising rapidly. In some areas, even the upper floors of two-storey houses are completely submerged,” a PDF member in Sagaing told DVB.
Sagaing Region Flood Impact Overview
├── Reported Deaths: 6 civilians swept away in Depayin Township
├── Inundated Settlements: 50+ villages across Depayin & Taze townships
├── Displacement: 10,000+ residents evacuated
├── Flood Source: Torrential rainfall & Thapanzeik Dam spillway releases (Kyunhla)
└── Rescue Operations: Spearheaded by NUG-aligned PDF units
Cascading Monsoon Disasters Across Myanmar
The disaster in Sagaing Region forms part of a broader wave of extreme weather and infrastructure failures affecting multiple states and regions across the country:
Nationwide Weather Alert
The regime’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issued an official warning indicating that heavy monsoon rainfall is expected to persist across Sagaing, Mandalay, Naypyidaw, Yangon, and lower Myanmar over the coming days. Local rescue networks have advised residents along riverbanks and downstream of major reservoirs to prepare for additional water level surges.
