More than a million still in desperate need


Children sit amidst the debris of their destroyed homes southwest of Yangon May 7, 2008. Reuters/Stringer courtesy of www.alertnet.org

Life-saving supplies funded by the DEC Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Appeal are now reaching more than 900,000 people. This is a 50 per cent increase on last week as relief teams press further into the Irrawaddy Delta.

Dr Sean Keogh, a disaster response specialist from one of the DEC member agencies, has just returned from the inaccessible Laputta region, where a boat carrying emergency supplies for 140,000 people arrived yesterday.

“When I arrived it was like a nuclear landscape, everything had been destroyed” said Dr Keogh of Merlin, “Thousands of people are still in desperate need of food, water and shelter.”

People of the UK can still play a key role in saving the lives of those who survived the initial storm. The £8 million already donated by the British public is paying for much-needed food, water and medical supplies.

Villagers line up for cooking oil donated by local businessmen in Kaarma near Kundangon May 11, 2008. Reuters/Stringer courtesy of www.alertnet.org

Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive of the DEC, warned: “The situation is still desperate and without more international help over the coming weeks the death toll is bound to increase. We urgently need more funds if we are going to continue to reach more people.”

A partner of Christian Aid, who wished to remain anonymous, is providing clean water for 25,000 people a day with huge water containers and water purification liquids.

“The Delta area was already very vulnerable as people were so much on edge,” said the partner, “Most of the people living there were landless labourers and lived in flimsy shacks in the fields. They were the worst hit. People have so little expectations that they will even get any help.”

The Red Cross Red Crescent relief pipeline has so far carried 42,000 mosquito nets, 36,000 tarpaulins, shelter kits for around 35,000 people, over 20,000 jerry cans and over 7,000 kitchen kits into Rangoon.

The DEC provides information on its website – www.dec.org.uk about how the money is being used to give the British public assurance that their money is being and will continue to be spent where it is most needed.

To make an urgent donation to the DEC Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Appeal.  Donate online: www.dec.org.uk

or call:
0870 60 60 900.