Pyinsalu
{{Infobox settlement
|settlement_type = Town
|native_name = {{lang|my|ပြင်စလူမြို့}}
|official_name = Pyinsalu
|other_name =
|pushpin_label_position = bottom
|pushpin_map =
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Myanmar
|image_skyline = ISS016-E-35367 - View of Myanmar.jpg
|image_map =
|image_caption = View of Pyinsalu Island from the International Space Station
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{Flag|Myanmar}}
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Ayeyarwady Region}}
|subdivision_type2 = District
|subdivision_name2 = Labutta District
|subdivision_type3 = Township
|subdivision_name3 = Labutta Township
|subdivision_type4 = Subtownship
|subdivision_name4 = Pyinsalu Subtownship
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_total_sq_mi = 1.40
|population = 2483
|population_as_of = 2023
|population_blank1_title = Ethnicities
|population_blank2 =
|population_blank2_title = Religions
|population_density_km2 = auto
|coordinates = {{coord|15.825|N|94.809|E|region:MM|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m =
|timezone = MMT
|utc_offset = +6.30
|website =
}}
Pyinsalu ({{langx|my|ပြင်စလူမြို့}}, {{IPA|my|pjɪ̀ɰ̃.sə.lú.mjo̼|}}) is a town in Labutta Township, Ayeyarwady Region of south-west Myanmar. It is the administrative seat of Pyinsalu Subtownship, an informal subdivision of Labutta Township used for statistical and administrative purposes. The town of Pyinsalu has 3 urban wards and 516 houses as of 2023 located on the southernmost parts of Labutta Township near the Pyinsalu distributary of the Irrawaddy River. According to the 2014 census, the town had 2217 people.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dop.gov.mm/sites/dop.gov.mm/files/publication_docs/pyinsalu_st.pdf |title=The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census: Pyinsalu Township Report |date=May 2017|website=Department of Population |publisher=Ministry of Labour |language=en}}
The town is located on Pyinsalu island, a deltaic island with a total area of about {{convert|40|mi2|km2}}.{{cite web |title=Pyinsalu |url=https://world-islands.net/details/pyinsalu/ |date=6 January 2024 |website=World Islands}}
Natural Disasters
The town saw a tsunami tide over {{convert|2|m|ft}} tall after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami due to its location close to the Andaman Sea coast. However, like many other communities, damage and casualties were minimal only damaging two houses and causing no casualties in Pyinsalu.{{cite paper |title=Myanmar Coastal Area Field Survey after the December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami |url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/eeri/earthquake-spectra/article-abstract/22/3_suppl/285/585300/Myanmar-Coastal-Area-Field-Survey-after-the |doi=10.1193/1.2206158 |journal=Earthquake Spectra |author1=Tint Lwin Swe |last2=Satake |first2=Kenji |author3=Than Tin Aung |last4=Sawai |first4=Yuki |first5=Yukinobu |last5=Okamura |author6=Kyaw Soe Win |author7=Win Swe |author8=Chit Swe |author9=Soe Thura Tun |author10=Maung Maung Soe |author11=Thantzin Oo |author12=Saw Htwe Zaw |date=1 June 2006 |volume=22 |issue=3_suppl |pages=285-294}}
The town is located about {{convert|35|mi|km}} from Hainggyi island, where the 2008 Cyclone Nargis made landfall.{{cite news |title="The tide was like a monster": Ten years after Nargis, delta remains vulnerable |url=https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/the-tide-was-like-a-monster-ten-years-after-nargis-delta-remains-vulnerable/ |author=Kyaw Ye Lynn |date=2 May 2018 |work=Frontier |language=en}} The town and its surrounding subtownship was severely affected by the cyclone with emergency responses delayed by a lack of infrastructure.{{cite news |title=ADRA is first to deliver aid to Myanmar's isolated Pyinsalu Islands |date=20 May 2008 |work=Adventist Development and Relief Agency |publisher=Relief Web |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/adra-first-deliver-aid-myanmars-isolated-pyinsalu-islands |language=en}} The government claims to have warned the town prior to the cyclone, but local residents told reporters otherwise. With few sturdy shelters, the village suffered significant damage and loss of life. The deaths in Pyinsalu were initially highly under-reported. Following the cyclone's damage, shelters have been built in the town with financial support from the UN Habitat programme and the European Union.
Notes
{{Reflist}}
{{Ayeyarwady Region}}
Category:Populated places in Ayeyarwady Region
{{Ayeyarwady-geo-stub}}