Farmers in Rakhine State are concerned about the damage caused by monsoon flooding in their paddy fields, according to local Rakhine media.

The Development Media Group reports that more than 50,000 acres of paddy fields have been destroyed by floods in Rakhine State’s Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Minbya townships, citing the Arakan Farmers Union.

Floods destroyed some 15,000 acres of paddy fields in Kyauktaw, some 10,000 acres in Mrauk-U and some 25,000 acres in Minbya, the union said.

Heavy rains and resulting flooding have caused serious damage in these townships, including the drowning of a mother and her baby in Minbya last week. Farms have been badly hit, as have internally displaced people (IDP) camps, with damage caused to buildings and shelters.

According to a recent report, nearly 7,000 people in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships have reportedly evacuated their homes temporarily due to continuous rains and high tides. Flooding has forced the closures of more than 100 schools in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, and destroyed hundreds of drinking water ponds.

The flooding has come as a further blow to Rakhine inhabitants following May’s Cyclone Mocha that caused serious damage.

For farmers, the question is whether they can salvage or regrow crops in this season. Many farmers are said to have lost paddy seed stockpiles, cattle and their homes following the devastation of Cyclone Mocha.

The Arakan State Administration Council (RSAC) said it has instructed the agriculture department to survey the damage to paddy fields caused by the flooding and report back to the council.

The Myanmar junta and local authorities have come in for criticism over their handling of the Cyclone Mocha aftermath, with concerns voiced that humanitarian aid is still not getting through to those in need.

The United Nations has slammed the junta's handling of the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, which killed at least 148 people and destroyed homes.

It condemned authorities' refusal to allow international aid workers to access the region, prompting state media to accuse the world body of "arrogance, ignorance and self-interest". Local NGOs have also voiced concerns over red tape as they try to reach out to those in need.