Two rivers in the Irrawaddy Delta region swelled to dangerous levels on Tuesday, threatening further destruction as flood waters move down the country.
The government has upgraded its warning for vulnerable areas there from yellow – ‘be alert’ – to orange – ‘prepare to move’ – and some residents have moved to shelters, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities in Hinthada advised locals to evacuate their homes and, while some elderly people, women and children have left, others ignored the advice, according to state-run newspaper the Global New Light of Myanmar.
The Irrawaddy and Ngawun rivers have risen dangerously there, according to the report.
Water has been moving down river from flooded areas in the north and center of the country, said U Tun Lwin, the former head of the government forecasting bureau.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said water levels in hard-hit Sagaing region have decreased but floods were likely to expand.
