Initial reports from the agency estimated that hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land were flooded while those affected were in urgent need of basic food, drinking water and sanitation.

WFP’s representative in Myanmar, Sheela Matthew, said the inclemency of the weather threatens to significantly reduce monsoon rice yields.

This will jeopardize the food security of small farmers, she warned.

The effects of the rising waters are likely to be felt not only in Ayeyarwady but throughout Myanmar, so the agency is looking to help mitigate potential food shortages.

Prior to the floods, the UN’s Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024 estimated that a quarter of Ayeyarwady’s inhabitants – nearly 1.5 million people – were in need of assistance.

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