Flood prevention measures in Myanmar
- Myanmar
ENTRY DATE: 09.03.2012 | LAST UPDATE: 09.03.2012
SCALE:
- Sub-national Level
TARGET AREA:
- Rural
BEST PRACTICE IN:
- Project Implementation
KEY SECTOR:
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
FUNDING AMOUNT:
Description of Intervention
• Introduction of flood prevention measures that consist of flood management through the participation of 35,000 volunteers, including local authorities; and
• Utilization of the country’s traditional techniques of protecting dykes called “Yaing Khway”.
Problems to be Addressed
Floods usually occur in the low-lying region traversed by the Ayeyawady River, as the combined water flows of the tributaries and creeks cause the river water-level to rise; to respond to this flooding, a 170km-long earthen dyke was built. The dyke needs to be maintained regularly and annually reinforced with the use of heavy machinery.
Aims
Prevent losses of the life and farmland from damage caused by flooding
Objectives
Implement preventive measures using experience-based knowledge, scientific information and participation of local inhabitants into flood prevention activities
How it fits into the EbA concept
The traditional technique to prevent the earthen dyke collapsing, called “Yaing Khway”, is made by using locally available natural resources, such as bamboo or mangrove poles, bamboo matting and sand, and it controls the flow of water through a hole in the dyke by keeping the water inside a ring of bamboo matting and sand. This technique functions as natural infrastructure to reduce vulnerability to floods, using the available ecosystem services.