OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
10 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from the UN 
Resident Coordinator's Office, Myanmar, UN agencies, regional humanitarian 
partners and media sources.

I. SITUATION IN MYANMAR

1. Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008, sweeping through the 
Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) delta region and the country's largest city, 
Yangon.

2. Based on the original Government estimates of 975,858 persons affected 
at three days after the disaster in the most seriously hit eight townships 
only, it is now estimated by the UN that at least 1,500,000 people are 
severely affected. Damage and needs assessments are ongoing in affected 
areas. The Government revised the initial declaration of five States and 
Divisions as disaster zones downwards to only Ayeyarwady (7 townships) and 
Yangon (40 townships) Divisions, on 6 May. Assessments by the Myanmar Red 
Cross Society (MRCS) in Bago, Mon and Kayin suggested that they were less 
affected. The UN estimates that 5,000 square kilometres are still flooded.

3. The authorities have reported 22,908 confirmed deaths and 42,119 
missing by 8 May. The unofficial estimates are significantly higher. Most 
fatalities and damage were due to the storm surge, as well as the severe 
winds and rain. There is growing concern for the management of dead 
bodies.

4. Assessments describe widespread destruction of housing and flooding, 
especially in delta areas, with contamination of a significant proportion 
of water sources. Pressing needs identified included food, water, water 
purification supplies and receptacles, sanitation facilities, including 
for shelter camps, roofing and construction materials, fuel, as well as 
essential medicines and treatment. The Government has estimated that 75% 
of schools in the seven severely affected townships have collapsed while 
remaining 25% have lost their roofs.

5. Given the gravity of the situation including the lack of food and 
water, some partners have reported fears for security, and violent 
behaviour in the most severely afflicted areas. Some assessments have 
suggested that people are coping by migrating outwards from the most 
affected to less affected areas in search of the basic necessities.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

6. The Government has pledged approximately US$ 5 million for relief.

7. Significant progress has been made in clearing roadways and the piped 
water supply and some electricity has been partially re-established to 
areas of Yangon city.

8. Helicopter relays of bilateral aid arriving at Yangon are being made to 
Pathein, and two large barges of aid have left Yangon for the most 
affected areas. Airlifts of international bilateral aid arrived from 
Thailand, Japan, and China, while India announced that it would send two 
naval vessels with supplies.

9. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), working as an auxiliary to the 
national response, has been distributing emergency relief supplies to 
beneficiaries in Yangon and Ayeyarwady Divisions through its established 
logistic system and network of local volunteers. MRCS currently has five 
operational assessment teams in Ayeyarwady, Yangon and Bago Divisions, Mon 
and Kayin States.

III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

10. The UN continues to consult closely with the Government about the need 
for international support, which is available across all key priority 
areas. Very few visas have been forthcoming in recent days. Two OCHA 
Disaster Assessment staff entered yesterday. UNHCR has received one visa 
and WFP has been promised 3 visas to be released on Monday evening.

11. The Flash Appeal has been launched today at 13:30 in New York by USG 
John Holmes. In the Appeal, humanitarian organizations ask for US$ 187 
million for emergency relief in Myanmar. During the launch, member states 
announced US$ 58.4 million in pledges for the Flash Appeal and bilateral 
aid to the Myanmar government. The USG pledged a funding window of US$ 20 
million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for the Flash 
Appeal. The document can be downloaded under: 
http://ochadms.unog.ch/quickplace/cap/main.nsf/h_Index/Flash_2008_Myanmar/$FILE/Flash_2008_Myanmar_SCREEN.pdf?OpenElement

12. The activated clusters and the funds requested in the Flash Appeal are 
the following:



Cluster                       Requirements specified
                               in Flash Appeal ($US)
  AGRICULTURE                      10,000,000
  EARLY RECOVERY                    4,850,000
  EDUCATION                         7,500,000
  EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS      1,320,000
  FOOD                             56,000,000
  HEALTH                           15,780,000
  INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND        1,608,337
    COORDINATION
  LOGISTICS                        49,664,697
  NUTRITION                         7,100,000
  PROTECTION OF CHILDREN            4,390,000
    AND WOMEN
  SHELTER                          20,300,000
  WATER AND SANITATION              8,785,120
Grand Total                      187,298,154


13. During the Flash Appeal launch, the Permanent Representative, on 
behalf of his government, has announced that Myanmar will accept 
international help and cooperate with the international community. A US 
C-130 plane carrying relief items has been cleared by Myanmar and is 
scheduled to arrive in the country on Monday, 12 May.

Update on bilateral assistance

14. For updated information on financial contributions, please refer to 
the OCHA Financial Tracking System website: http://reliefweb.int/fts/. 
Donors are encouraged to verify contributions and inform OCHA Financial 
Tracking System (FTS) of corrections/additions/values to this table. The 
direct email address is: fts@reliefweb.int.

Coordinated In-Country Response

15. Assessments have been conducted by 18 agencies in 55 townships. Based 
on these assessments, the UN estimates that 1,215,885 to 1,919,485 million 
people have been affected by the cyclone, the number of deaths could range 
from 63,290 to 101,682, and 220,000 people are reported to be missing.

16. NGOs and UN operations agencies have been providing supplies to people 
in affected areas and in shelter camps, both in the Yangon area and in 
Ayeyarwady. Supplies have included food, water, water purification aids, 
plastic sheeting, tarpaulins, mosquito nets, first-aid and health kits, 
and oral rehydration salts.

17. Distributions have been conducted in 28 townships by AMI, WHO, MSF-CH, 
SC, MRCS/IFRC, UNICEF, WFP, Malteser. It is estimated that at least 
276,000 individuals have been reached by 7 May.

18. WHO and UNICEF are mobilizing essential drugs. In the meantime, 
UNICEF's existing stocks of essential drugs (provided in normal situation 
for regular programme) are being redeployed for distribution by UNDP and 
MRCS networks. IEC materials have been translated and at least 200,000 
will be printed and distributed to address the misconception that dead 
bodies cause disease, while educating on the need for basic hygiene 
measures including clean water, sanitation, hand washing.

19. UNDP has established a relay system using road transportation of 
personnel and supplies into Ayeyarwaddy Division, as communication 
networks are still seriously compromised.

20. WFP is undertaking an Immediate Response Emergency Operation of 
US$500,000 for an estimated 40,000 beneficiaries as an initial response, 
is expected to be exhausted quite shortly. WFP is planning an Emergency 
Operation to reach approximately 630,000 beneficiaries with a complete 
food basket. A total of 90 MT of rice has been dispatched to camps in 
Yangon, distributed by cooperating partners, and 40 MT to Labutta. WFP 
currently has a total rice stock of 690mt in Yangon. WFP is expecting to 
import a total of 45 MT of High Energy Biscuit for emergency distribution 
in shelter camps. The first airlifted 7 MT have arrived today and have 
been cleared by WFP for forwarding to warehouse and distribution sites.

21. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health for rumour verification, 
outbreak investigation and rapid response. Unconfirmed reports are being 
received of diarrhoeal disease outbreaks.

22. In support of the National response efforts, the international 
community will increase capacity of three sub-regional field offices with 
storage facilities in Pathein, Labutta and Bogalay.

23. UNHCR is expecting arrival of an airlift including tents, cooking sets 
and blankets in Yangon tomorrow, Friday 8 May.

24. UNICEF is ready to support 100,000 children with an essential learning 
package when school starts on 1 June. Early Childhood Development 
emergency kits are being distributed for young children in affected areas 
by UNICEF partners, and Save the Children has started to use these to 
ensure child-friendly spaces in shelter camps around Yangon.

25. PSI, an NGO, has distributed 3,600 litres of Water Guard purification 
liquid, enough for 3.72 million litres of drinking water. UNICEF had 
3,000,000 water purification tablets coming in today.

26. MSF has 40 national staff in the delta area and is expecting to 
redeploy 40 more in two days. It has distributed 70 MT of food and plastic 
sheeting.

27. Action Contre la Faim sent 7 MT of rice yesterday to Bogalay, further 
14 MT today, as well as 4 MT of WATSAN equipment. It is seeking 
authorisation to send 14 MT daily.

IV. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

28. The cyclone has likely resulted in acute environmental issues, 
including those related to waste and debris that could pose immediate 
risks to human life and health, and long-term risks for recovery. The 
Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit (JEU) in Geneva has already been ensured 
support by Swedish authorities to make available waste management experts 
who could provide remote support (e.g. phone, e-mail) to national 
authorities, on managing acute waste and debris issues that could pose 
immediate and longer-term risks to water quality, human health and 
livelihoods. This generous offered has been conveyed to ROAP.

29. In the meantime, an environmental expert representing the Swedish 
Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) has arrived in Bangkok following a request 
made by the JEU. The expert will be receiving logistical and 
administrative support from the UNEP office in Bangkok, so as not to 
further tax the already strained resources of ROAP. This expert could, 
depending on needs and constraints, undertake a mission from Bangkok on a 
purely bilateral basis, or as an associate member of an UNDAC team. The 
JEU also has a number of environmental emergency experts on standby for 
deployment.

30. Furthermore, the JEU remains in daily contact with relevant branches 
of UNEP offices in Bangkok, Nairobi and Geneva for response coordination. 
The JEU is also in close contact with potential donors, including the EU's 
Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) and Sweden.

For more information please contact:

International relief focal point:
Mr. Winston Chang
Tel. +4179 469 8589 Email: changw@un.org

General enquiries:
OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific
Email: ocha-roap@un.org

OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific
Mr. Norwin Schafferer
Tel. +66 81174 8335
Email: schafferer@un.org

OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific
Mr. Sebastian Rhodes Stampa
Tel. +66 89204 2721
Email: rhodesstampa@un.org

Asia and Pacific Desk
Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu
Mob: +1 917 476 6164
Tel: 212-963-1773
Email: asekenye-oonyu@un.org

Myanmar Desk
(NY) Mr. Ivan Lupis
Tel. +1 917 367 2056
Bberry +1 917 640 3819
Email: lupis@un.org

UNOSAT produced satellite image derived maps and corresponding statistical 
information on the floods following Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar, are available 
on VirtualOSOCC/GDACS and: http://www.unosat.org/asp/prod_free.asp?id=66I


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