Monsoon-driven rains have caused flooding in some parts of Myanmar, including Bago, where this bridge was damaged by high waters in July. Pic: AFP

MONSOON began moving out of the far northern reaches of Myanmar last week and will depart from the rest of the country by the end of the month, said an official from the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

“Monsoon will exit central Myanmar in the second week of September and the Ayeyarwady delta region and southern Myanmar in the third week,” said U Tun Lwin, the director general of the department.

“September is the late period of the rainy season. There will be low to moderate wind speeds in the Bay of Bengal as monsoon departs and low-pressure areas will form. We’ll have to wait and see if this results in the formation of storms but I don’t think so,” he said.

He said he expected rainfall amounts in September to be higher than normal in Yangon and Mandalay divisions, and in Shan and Mon states; lower than normal in Chin and Kayah states; and normal in the rest of the country.

“We will also see dangerous water levels on the lower part of the Ayeyarwady River near Hinthada and the middle part near Nyaung Oo, Minbu and Magwe but the water won’t spill over the banks and cause flooding,” said U Tun Lwin.

September could also bring high water levels to the Chindwin River near Homalin, Mawlaik, Ka-la-we and Monywa; the Thanlwin River near Hpa-an; the Sittaung River near Taungoo and Madauk; and the Duttawady River near Myitnge, he said.