Myanmar Typhoon Death Toll at 74 with 89 Missing... Military Regime Makes Unprecedented Foreign Aid Request

"Internal Conflict and Communication Blackout Make Counting Difficult
Death Toll Likely to Increase"

Super typhoon 'Yagi' struck Myanmar following the Philippines and Vietnam, causing a sharp increase in deaths and missing persons, prompting the Myanmar military regime to unusually request foreign aid.

On the 15th (local time), according to AFP and AP news agencies, Min Aung Hlaing, the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar military regime, stated through local media on the 13th, "Government officials need to contact foreign countries to receive rescue and relief supplies for the victims." This marks a departure from the military regime's previous stance of rejecting international aid during natural disasters and civil wars, making it an unprecedented situation.

In the past, the military regime refused or strictly controlled international aid even during large-scale natural disasters such as Cyclone 'Moka' and Cyclone 'Nargis.' Especially during the disaster caused by 'Nargis,' which resulted in approximately 138,000 deaths, the military regime initially rejected overseas aid and only accepted it belatedly, while thoroughly controlling the distribution of relief supplies, which sparked controversy.

On the 14th (local time), in the Bago region of central Myanmar, disaster victims trapped in deep water while evacuating due to flooding caused by Typhoon Yagi are waiting for rescue boats. [Image source=AFP·Yonhap News]

The military regime's request for foreign aid this time appears to stem from a sense of crisis as the scale of damage has exceeded expectations.

According to Myanmar state-run TV, 74 people have died and 89 are missing due to floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi, but accurate damage assessments are difficult due to communication outages and ongoing civil war. Local media report that the number of missing persons may exceed 100, and the death toll is likely to rise further.

The military regime announced that about 235,000 people have evacuated, and approximately 65,000 houses, 24 bridges, and 375 school buildings have been damaged. Major lowland areas such as Mandalay City, Shan State, and Naypyidaw have been flooded, leaving many residents isolated and suffering from shortages of food and medicine.

Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar has experienced refugee crises due to civil war, and the humanitarian crisis has worsened with this typhoon. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) pointed out that even before the typhoon struck, 3.4 million people (as of early this month) were already displaced due to civil war and turmoil. With the added damage from the typhoon, Myanmar has fallen into a deeper humanitarian crisis.