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Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on Saturday, May 4, 2008. The cyclone, and a tidal wave that soon followed, devastated the Irrawaddy Delta as well as Yangon, the nation’s main city. A U.S. government official in Myanmar has estimated that the final death toll may reach over 100,000 people and the U.N. and the Red Cross say 1.6 million to 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter.
The U.N. World Food Programme has estimated that up to a million people are potentially homeless, entire villages have been almost totally destroyed, and vast rice-growing regions of the country have been ruined. The combined total population of the declared disaster areas is around 24 million, nearly half of the country’s entire population.
As construction materials become scarce, basic utilities remain inactive, and food costs escalate, the most pressing priorities for survivors are fresh water, shelter, food, medicine, and fuel.
The situation in Myanmar has grown dire as the government continues to delay the delivery of aid. The political situation creates a challenging environment for those wishing to help from abroad. Particular care will need to be given to ensure that charitable donations reach people in need.
Despite the uncertainty, donors who wish to make immediate gifts should support nonprofits that have experience delivering disaster relief and who have operations in Myanmar. The following are organizations that have some current presence and capacity for delivering care in Myanmar
- CARE’s relief efforts are underway. Based on initial assessments, CARE is planning a three-phase response lasting a minimum of four years and anticipates funding needs to total $10 million. Because of CARE’s 14 year presence in Myanmar, they are one of a few organizations the government has granted permission to respond.
- Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) was already present in the country at the time of the cyclone and was able to respond immediately. MSF's newly arrived relief material, replenishing and adding to stocks in the country at the time of the disaster, will be sent by trucks to the disaster areas in the coming days. However, the needs of the affected population assessed in the Irrwaddy delta area by MSF aid workers are so important that much more supplies will have to come into the country to respond to the current crisis.
- The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has sent its first consignment of essential supplies to the region. The International Federation has also launched a preliminary emergency appeal for $5.9 million.
- The American Red Cross has pledged $1.25 million in funds and supplies and is coordinating its efforts with the Myanmar Red Cross and the International Federation.
- Save the Children has launched a full-scale response and is accepting emergency donations.
- World Vision is seeking $3 million in donations for its response fund.
- The International Rescue Committee has deployed an emergency team and is accepting donations.
- The United Nations has announced that a grant will be provided from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help those affected.
- UNICEF is distributing relief supplies and seeks $8.2 million for its emergency operation.
- Initial airlifts of food aid from The World Food Programme have begun to arrive.
Sources: Reuters, The New York Times |
