Floods devastate Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady region as Ling Jiou Mountain sends food and medical aid

Floodwaters in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady region swallowed villages and towns in July, leaving tens of thousands of residents struggling in the aftermath. In six of the worst-hit areas, Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist group has launched an emergency relief operation with the Myanmar organization Myanmar Hope Seeds.

The mission followed instructions from Master Hsin Tao, founder of the group, to Venerable Jing Nian, supervisor of the Yangon International Meditation Center. Working with Venerable U Gopi and local volunteers, the team delivered food, medicine and daily necessities to 423 families, reaching more than 10,000 people.

With roads cut off and movement restricted in parts of the region, rescuers switched to small boats. They moved between flooded villages through water reaching waist height and, in some places, three meters deep. After surveying each village and recording its needs, the team purchased, sorted and transported rice, soybeans, cooking oil, salt and beans, as well as warm clothing, lighting equipment, flashlights, medical supplies and hygiene products. Emergency relief payments were also provided.

The water had remained in the disaster zone for more than a month. Heavy rain caused levels to rise again just as some roads and homes began to reappear. In some villages, only rooftops remained above the brown water, and residents relied on bamboo rafts and small boats for transportation.

Jing Nian said the disaster showed that relief cannot end with a single distribution of supplies. “True assistance is a connection from heart to heart,” he said, describing long-term support as a way to help survivors regain the courage to face the future. The floods have brought pain, he said, but mutual support has allowed hope to continue growing.

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True assistance is a connection from heart to heart.