ID: 1641
Presenting Author: Soe Min
Session: 626 - Disasters, Conflict and Impact Assessment: What is up, what is down, what is coming around?
Status: pending
Floods, earthquakes, and political instability severely damaged Inle Lake's ecosystem and livelihoods. The assessment highlights the urgent need for resilient, community-led restoration.
The Inle Lake Post-Disaster Impact Assessment analyzes the combined effects of the September 2024 flood and March 2025 earthquake on the lake's ecosystem and communities. As a vital inland water body and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Myanmar, Inle Lake supports significant livelihoods, biodiversity, and tourism.
The twin disasters severely damaged aquatic habitats, water quality, and community infrastructure, disrupting the local economy's foundation: agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. The assessment used field surveys, satellite imagery, and community consultations to document the physical, environmental, and socio-economic impacts.
Crucially, the assessment notes how Myanmar’s political situation has constrained effective disaster response. Factors like governance fragmentation, reduced institutional capacity, and limited humanitarian access have slowed recovery and hindered environmental monitoring. Lake-dependent communities face compounded vulnerabilities due to reduced public services, displacement, and limited ecosystem rehabilitation funding.
This paper calls for urgent, integrated, science-based recovery planning that prioritizes both environmental restoration and social resilience, even given the political constraints. Strengthening community-based resource management, enhancing early warning systems, and restoring the lake’s ecological integrity are critical steps for long-term sustainability and climate adaptation in the region.
EIA consultant Mr. Soe Min inspires collaboration among communities, authorities, and donors, fostering collective action to restore and protect Inle Lake.
Coauthor 1: Thein Mwe Khin