Myanmar refugees sheltering in the villages of Khaikhy and Twidin in India’s Lawngtlai District are still waiting for aid organisations to reach them and are in urgent need of assistance after floods swept away their shelters.

Heavy rains in the area caused a river near to the villages of Khaikhy and Twidin to overflow on 31 May 2025. The resultant floodwaters destroyed 87 refugee shelters and many of the refugees’ toilets.

Since the flooding the refugees have been in urgent need of food and medical supplies and no aid organisations have yet reached them

An official from Paletwa Council’s Rescue Department who is based in Lawngtlai District and was sent there to assist the refugees by the Paletwa Council, the resistance administration of Paletwa Township in Chin State spoke to Chin World.

He said: “A total of 669 people living in the refugee camps in Khaikhy and Twidin have been affected by the floods. They’re in urgent need of food, basic healthcare, and medicine. Some even fell ill because they had to evacuate in the middle of the rain. So far, no aid organisations have been able to reach them.”

Talking of other problems being faced by the refugees he said: “They need materials to rebuild the damaged houses, but since the refugees have no income, it’s a huge challenge for them. The water started to recede on June 3, but it’s hard to say what the weather will do next. No one knows if the next rain will cause more flooding all over again.”

In Twidin Village refugee camp there were 270 shelters for refugees. 378 refugees were affected by the flooding which completely destroyed 18 of the shelters and partially damaged a further 45 shelters. 75 toilets were also damaged beyond repair. 

In Khaikhy Village refugee camp 291 refugees were affected by the flooding. It completely destroyed 69 out of the 141 refugee shelters in the village and also destroyed 35 toilets.

Many refugees are now taking shelter in classrooms, community halls, or other people’s homes.