670 refugees from Myanmar sheltering in Lawngtlai District in India are in urgent need of assistance after flooding caused by heavy rain destroyed 87 of their shelters.
The refugees from Myanmar had fled fighting in Chin State’s Paletwa Township and were staying in the Lawngtlai District villages of Khaikhy and Twidin, where heavy rains caused the river to burst its banks on 31 May 2025. The floodwaters submerged, destroyed and swept away the Myanmar refugees’ shelters and toilets.
Salai Soe Than, an official from Paletwa Council’s Rescue Department who is based in Lawngtlai District and was sent there to assist the refugees by the Paletwa Council, the resistance administration of Paletwa Township in Chin State spoke to Khonumthung News.
He said: “Their houses were destroyed by the floods, so right now the refugees are staying temporarily in the camp schools’ classrooms. Some have managed to quickly put up makeshift shelters just to have a place to stay. But, the most urgent need right now is food. These refugees were already struggling, most of them rely on daily wage jobs, and even then, they could barely afford food for the next day. Now with the floods, they’ve lost their jobs too, and they’re really suffering. They also need medicine and basic healthcare support.”
In Twidin Village refugee camp there were 270 shelters for refugees. 378 refugees were affected by the flooding which completely destroyed 18 of the shelters and partially damaged a further 45 shelters. 75 toilets were also damaged beyond repair.
In Khaikhy Village refugee camp 291 refugees were affected by the flooding. It completely destroyed 69 out of the 141 refugee shelters in the village and also destroyed 35 toilets.
The floods have impacted vulnerable groups, including the elderly, pregnant women, and children. While no injuries have been reported, housing remains a major challenge. Many refugees are now taking shelter in classrooms, community halls, or other people’s homes.
During the flooding many refugees had to relocate during heavy rain which soaked them and led to some becoming ill and requiring medical treatment.
The rain stopped on 1 June and water levels in the refugee camp began to go down but they began rising again on 2 June when the rain resumed.
On 2 June Salai Soe Than said: “The water level went down yesterday, but it’s been raining non stop today, so it’s rising again. With the rain continuing like this, it’s hard to say how much higher the water might get.”
New shelters need to be built to replace those destroyed and swept away in the flooding. Each new shelter costs approximately 30,000 Indian Rupees (about 351 USD) to build.
As of the time of reporting, no civil society organisations had yet reached out to help the flood affected refugees which has prompted aid workers on the ground to appeal for urgent support from both local and international donors.