Heavy rains in Myanmar cause more flooding; 9 dead

YANGON: Officials say heavy rains in Myanmar have caused more flooding and left nine people dead, devastating several townships and forcing more than 18,000 people into temporary shelters.

Much of the country has been hit by flooding and landslides over the last few weeks. The government's Relief and Resettlement Department estimates that 110,000 people have been severely affected by the floods, particularly in the Sagaing region and Kachin and Shan states, accounting for 21 deaths in July.

On Saturday, local officials reported nine more deaths, most of them from a boat that capsized in Kachin. They said seven townships had been devastated by flooding.

President Thein Sein visited Kalay township in Sagaing region, one of the four regions that was declared disaster zones on Friday.

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