By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw, July 12, 2025
A key concrete road connecting over ten villages in southern Maungdaw Township has collapsed after weeks of heavy rainfall, leaving residents stranded and forcing them to carve paths through forests just to reach basic services.
The damaged road served as a lifeline for communities in Kin Chaung, Tharay Kone Baw, Du Nyawng Pin Gyi, Kyine Gyi, Padin, Chi Yar Tan, and several nearby villages. According to local residents, the road had already been deteriorating for nearly a month, but the continuous downpour since early July triggered its collapse.
“The strong water flow from nonstop rain washed away half the road,” said a resident from Du Nyawng Pin Gyi. “It connected us directly to Maungdaw town and was also used for transporting goods from the border. Now everything is stuck.”
With no immediate help or repair from authorities, residents say they have been forced to use alternative footpaths through nearby forested hills. Some are cutting makeshift trails by hand.
“This road lies west of Kin Chaung village,” explained a local motorcycle driver. “Every day about 150 vehicles used this route — motorcycles, three-wheelers, even small trucks. Now not even a bicycle can pass. We have no choice but to go through the jungle.”
The ongoing monsoon has also damaged several bridges, submerged rice fields, and triggered small landslides in surrounding areas, worsening the humanitarian strain on already vulnerable communities. Farmers say they fear total crop loss if the rains continue.
So far, no official response or relief efforts have reached the affected villages. Local committees say they have not received any updates from township authorities or the Arakan Army administration, which currently controls the area.
“This isn’t just a road collapse,” said one community elder. “It’s a collapse of everything — our livelihoods, our safety, our ability to survive.”
Residents are calling for urgent intervention to repair damaged infrastructure and provide emergency support before conditions deteriorate further.
