Nearly 600,000 people displaced in Myanmar's severe flooding

Myanmar's severe flooding nationwide has displaced nearly 600,000 people, according to updated figures of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Sunday.

The deadly flood has inundated more than 486,000 hectares of farmland, of which 257,863 hectares have been destroyed.

Nationwide death toll from the flooding has risen to 96, a report quoted the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement as saying.

Of the 96 victims, 56 died in Rakhine state, 11 in Mandalay region, seven in Sagaing region and six in Shan state.

Rising river water is threatening to inundate southwestern Ayeyawaddy region, the report said.

Residents in low-lying areas in the Ayeyawaddy delta are being alerted and urged to move to safer places as the Ayeyawaddy and Ngawun rivers remained above danger levels in four townships, namely Hinthada, Nyaungdon, Zalun and Seiktha.

Meteorology and Hydrology experts predicted that a low-pressure zone could form in the Bay of Bengal over the weekend due to impact of Typhoon Soudelor which is currently crossing China's Taiwan region.

Deadly floods, triggered by heavy rainfall since June, have affected 13 regions and states in Myanmar, destroying houses, farmland, railway lines, bridges and roads.

The Myanmar government declared on July 31 four disaster zones, and they are Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing and Magway, of which Rakhine state was the worst hit.