By Xinhua,
Yangon : Myanmar will build and renovate 37 embankments in cyclone-hit areas to fight against flood in the future, a local weekly journal reported Sunday.
The embankments, to be built 2 to 5 feet higher than the height of the original ones, are estimated to cost about 110.56 million U.S. dollars and the project will be implemented in ten townships in Yangon and Ayeyawaddy divisions, the Voice said, adding that the new embankments can prevent 484,109 acres (196,064 hectares) of farmland from being flooded in case of storm.
The ten townships are Kungyangon, Kawmu, Kyauktan, Khayan and Thonekhwa in Yangon division and Ngaputaw, Laputta, Bogalay, Dedaye and Phyapon in Ayeyawaddy division.
Due to early May’s cyclone storm, over 1 million acres (405,000 hectares ) of farmland in 7 townships in Ayeyawaddy division, 3 in Yangon division, 2 in Bago division and 3 in Mon state were flooded by sea water with more than 200,000 cows and cattle killed, earlier statistics showed.
Meanwhile, according to a latest official report, up to now, a total of 1.17 million acres (4,738,500 hectares) of farmland in Ayeyawaddy division alone has been put under monsoon paddy.
Myanmar is now entering into a second phase of resettlement and reconstruction after its first phase of rescue and relief was claimed to have finished up to a certain extent.
Deadly tropical cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states — Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago,Mon and Kayin last May. Among those, Ayeyawaddy and Yangon suffered the heaviest casualties and massive infrastructural damage.
Myanmar estimated the damages and losses caused by the storm at10.67 billion dollars with 5.5 million people affected.
The storm has killed 84,537 people and left 53,836 missing and 19,359 injured according to the latest official death toll.