Myanmar ravaged by floods as Vietnam begins cleanup after Typhoon Yagi
Al JazeeraSep 18
Myanmar: Typhoon Yagi Kills Over 100, Displaces 320K
Above: Flood-affected residents ride bamboo rafts while others gather on higher ground by a temple in Taungoo, Myanmar's Bago region on Sept. 14, 2024. Image copyright: Sai Aung Main/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
At least 113 people have been killed and more than 320K displaced after Typhoon Yagi caused floods and mudslides in Myanmar over the past week.
The flooding has reportedly destroyed five dams, four pagodas, and over 65K houses, leaving a third of the country's 55M people in need of humanitarian assistance.
The Spin
Narrative A
In the wake of Typhoon Yagi's devastating track through southeast Asia, the focus is now on rebuilding and recovery. Over half a million people in China's Hainan alone have been affected, with a heavy loss of life. The economic toll is staggering, with damages running into billions of dollars. Immediate priorities include providing shelter and basic necessities to the displaced, repairing critical infrastructure like roads and water facilities, and restoring essential services.
Narrative B
Typhoons Gaemi, Yagi, and Bebinca have shown us the urgent need to curb fossil fuel usage. These increasingly frequent and intense storms, fueled by climate change, disproportionately impact vulnerable nations that are the least responsible for the crisis. The devastation they leave behind is a stark reminder of the true cost of fossil fuel dependency. It's time for bold, global action through a binding Fossil Fuel Treaty to regulate extraction, promote clean energy transition, and support vulnerable nations.