YANGON – Electricity supply was cut across many areas of Myanmar today because of a “system breakdown”, according to multiple government agencies.
People started posting on Twitter and Facebook about the widespread blackouts across commercial hub Yangon at around 1:30pm local time (0600 GMT).
“A system breakdown is causing power outages across the country,” reported Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation in central Yangon’s Yankin township.
Further north in the city of Magway, along the Irrawaddy River, the region’s Electricity Supply enterprise reported the same.
Netizens on Facebook – an extremely popular platform in Myanmar – similarly reported electricity blackouts in other parts of the country.
The supply cut comes as the junta has tightened its chokehold on communications, blocking social media platforms – which people have skirted by downloading VPNs – and imposing a nightly internet shutdown.
A protester was shot dead in demonstration today, in the latest round of bloodletting at anti-coup demonstrations as the UN Security Council prepared to meet on the escalating crisis.
The killing follows the deadliest day of the crackdown so far on Wednesday, when the UN said at least 38 people were killed as graphic images showed security forces firing into crowds and bloodied bodies dragged away.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the February 1 coup that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power, with soldiers and police escalating the use of force on the streets to quell nationwide protests. – AFP, March 5, 2021
