More than 50,000 people evacuated their homes in central Myanmar on Wednesday after a dam breach flooded towns and villages and caused the closure of a major highway, two officials said.
Fire authorities sent a team to the Swar irrigation dam after the breach at 5.30 am (11pm GMT) unleashed water into the nearby town of Swar and several other settlements.
No casualties have been reported, but thousands took shelter in temporary camps.
Many people, including some not directly affected by flooding, had decided to leave their homes for fear the water level could rise further, said an official of the Natural Disaster Management Department.
In all, 12,000 households or 54,000 people had been displaced, said another official from the Department of Relief and Resettlement.
The Guardian reports the Swar dam’s spillway structure, which regulates the release of water from the levee, broke as a result of heavy monsoon rains in the Bago region, authorities said, inundating about 100 villages and blocking the country’s main highway.
9th May 2026
On 9 May, Europeans will celebrate Europe Day.
This year marks the 76th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, which laid the foundations for the European Union as we know it today, ...
9th May 2026
Russia and Ukraine accused each other Friday of violating a unilateral ceasefire declared by President Vladimir Putin to coincide with World War II Victory Day commemorations, as fightin...
8th May 2026
Updated 1040
Morning Briefing
White Rocks Regeneration to Create Major Public Green Space After Waste Clearance: Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said the regeneration of White Ro...
7th May 2026
Morning Briefing
Tax Case Against Christian Borg Dropped Following SettlementCriminal proceedings against car dealer Christian Borg have been halted after a settlement with the tax a...
28th April 2026
The European Parliament has thrown its weight behind demands for a bigger long-term EU budget, approving its position for negotiations on the bloc’s next seven-year financial framework f...
25th April 2026
Disinformation is no longer spreading only through fringe actors or political agitators, but through a digital system that rewards outrage, sensationalism and engagement above accuracy, ...
8th May 2026
Chevron will begin exploring for oil and gas in waters south of Malta, marking a significant step for the Mediterranean island nation, which has no active hydrocarbon production and has ...
8th May 2026
Airbnb and Expedia joined a growing list of travel companies warning that the Middle East conflict is weighing on demand, as hostilities in the region enter their third month.
Both c...
14th April 2026
“A company’s workplace culture praised by management, needs to be taken with caution. But when the recognition comes directly from employees, that carries greater weight,” says JONATHAN ...
14th April 2026
EU lawmakers have approved new rules aimed at strengthening how failing banks are managed, extending protections to a wider range of institutions and depositors across the bloc.
The p...
7th May 2026
The regeneration project of Birgu’s main square by Studjurban completed last year, gained further international attention with a Special Mention award at the internationally recognised A...
6th May 2026
Malta Public Transport has launched a new digital signage system across key transport hubs in Malta and Gozo, providing passengers with real-time travel information. The system has been ...
8th May 2026
The United States launched what it described as “self-defense” strikes against Iranian military targets after three US Navy destroyers came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, sharply ...
6th May 2026
French shipping giant CMA CGM reported that its vessel San Antonio was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving several crew members injured and the ship damaged. The...
25th February 2026
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
9th February 2026
María Corina Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition. She has reported that one of her closest associates, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was abducted. This occurred mere hours afte...
28th April 2026
Ukraine struck Russia’s oil infrastructure in the Black Sea port city of Tuapse for the third time in a month, local authorities said Tuesday.
The city, which declared an environmenta...
21st April 2026
Russian forces have taken 1,700 square km (656 square miles) of territory in Ukraine this year and are advancing on its so-called fortress belt in Donbas, Moscow's top general said whil...