Tawwin River water level drops below warning level, evacuees return home

The water level of the Tawwin River on the Myanmar-Thailand border, which rose above the warning level on July 12, has dropped about three feet below the warning level as of this morning, July 13, and the flood-displaced residents have returned to their homes. In the evening of July 12, the Tawwin River's water level rose above the warning level, causing residents of low-lying areas in Ward 5, as well as low-lying areas in Wards 1 and 2, to evacuate to temporary relief camps such as Taung Ywar Monastery, Dhithan Aung Pagoda Hall, Ko Na Win Monastery Hall, and Gya Khattaw Hall. A total of 767 people were relocated. Officials from the Myawaddy District/Township, in coordination with civil society organizations, established four temporary relief camps overnight through the Myawaddy District Natural Disaster Management Committee and relocated residents from areas near the riverbank and areas prone to flooding. At the temporary relief camps, including the Taung Ywar Monastery Hall in Ward 4 of Myawaddy Township, 109 households comprising 437 people were relocated. At the Gya Khattaw Hall, 32 households comprising 103 people were relocated. At the Dhithan Aung Hall, 53 households comprising 170 people were relocated. At the Ko Na Win Monastery Hall in Ward 5, 13 households comprising 57 people were relocated. In total, officials relocated and accommodated 207 households comprising 767 people in the four relief camps. As of the morning of July 13, 2026, the Tawwin River's water level continued to fall below the warning level of 963. However, the Thai Meteorological Department has announced that due to continued rainfall on July 15 and 16, fishing boats and residents of low-lying areas near rivers and streams should exercise special caution.