The end of August saw extremely heavy rains in Mae Hong Son, leading to devastating floods and landslides. The villages of Ban Kophee suffered a sudden and violent flood that washed away many homes and rice granaries, destroyed vital infrastructure such as the Water System and also led to injury and death. In Ban Mae La Ka Tai, a landslide collapsed homes, destroyed the water system and water source, less to injuries and has also meant the entire village must now relocate.
The impact of these natural disasters on Karen villagers is not only loss of basic necessities, but also also leaves them even more impoverished and vulnerable. The trauma of losing your home and then worring that you have also lost your rice crop is truly devastating on families struggling to get by.
Our team visited both villages early on to assess the situation and provide reassurance that KHT will be there to support them. We have already set up a temporary water system for Ban Mae La Ka Tai and a school in Ban Kophee and we will also be providing vital food, hygiene and cooking supplies in the coming days. KHT will also provide rice and we will rebuild the WASH systems in the villages when it is safe to do so. KHT is pleased to have the support of the Ford Fund in our emergency project, as well as great response of our donors via our Appeal.
We look forward to updating you further on the impact of your support for these disaster impacted communities. Please do continue to share our appeal and donate so we can ensure we respond to any other needs that arise as the weather continues to cause problems for villages in the region.
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