OCHA Situation Report No. 8
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
12 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

NOTE: Today's situation report is based only on information received from 
the field and media sources. While the content was not able to be verified 
with cluster leads, the Sit Rep will go forward in the interest of timely 
dissemination of critical information. If any errors are noted, please 
report to Norwin Schafferer (contact details at bottom of report), and the 
information will be rectified. Finally, please be aware that the headings 
under which is stated 'nothing to report' does not imply inactivity; 
rather it indicates the lack of inputs received this Sunday.

I. NATIONAL RESPONSE

1. Nothing to report

II. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

1. Nothing to report

Coordinated In-Country Response

2. UN Resident Coordinator ai has been liaising with representatives of 
the Government: The Director General of the Ministry of Social Welfare, 
Relief and Resettlement conveyed the message that his Ministry (which is 
designated in charge of coordinating the national relief efforts) is 
facing challenges in the management of the large volume of supplies now 
coming through Yangon International Airport. They were now open to UN 
organizations to distribute goods that arrive for their programmes. They 
requested delivery plans, and may request some presence in the 
distribution.

3. Numerous aid airlifts landed on Saturday. For charter flights, 
government staff unloads cargo to the warehouse at the airport, which is 
now becoming increasingly full. Unofficially, staff of various 
organizations have been asked to remove cargo directly from the plane and 
take it into their possession. Yesterday an airlift of non-food items was 
offloaded using this process. All WFP cargo has now been released to WFP. 
For other non-UN organisations, goods will normally be unloaded by 
government staff to the warehouse, where the organisation should be able 
to access it, depending on their agreement with the Government.

4. UN RC ai will travel to the capital Nay Pyi Taw on Monday to meet with 
the Deputy Foreign Minister, who is designated officer for all relief 
assistance. All of the procedures for aid flights were reported in 
yesterday's (10 May) Situation Report #7.

5. In order to make the cluster approach more effective, support is being 
organized to provide cluster leads with tools and expertise on the ground. 
Further support is anticipated from OCHA staff in the near future.6. Visa 
status update

6. Visa status update

INGOS

Number of visas requested since May 4th: 29
Number of visas granted since May 4th: 3
Number of visas awaiting since May 4th: 26
Number of visas pending from 2 or 3 month: 20

UN Agencies
Number of visas requested since May 4th: 25
Number of visas granted since May 4th: 1
Number of visas awaiting since May 4th: 24
Number of visas pending from 2or 3 month: 3

Food

7. There is no more rice at the WFP Yangon warehouse, and small amounts 
are being relocated from the field sites. Additional 2,000 MT rice has 
been sourced from outside of the affected areas for Yangon, and 2,000 MT 
for Ayeyarwady.

8. To feed 750,000 people for 3 months as planned in the Flash Appeal, 
will require 55,000 MT of rice, of which only 50% could be procured 
in-country. This will require Government clearance for the importation of 
rice.

9. WFP is exploring cash options with NGOs as an interim solution in areas 
where the market is functioning.

Nutrition

10. Before the cyclone, Ayeyarwady was an area that had around 30% chronic 
and 9% acute malnutrition, thus nutrition screening, surveillance and 
monitoring is needed.

11. A joint UNICEF and Action Contre la Faim assessment has bee completed 
and is now in the process of being analyzed.

12. Plumpy nut has been redeployed from Northern Rakhine State to Yangon 
and more will be imported by charter flight.

Logistics

13. The cluster group has produced a concept of operations document. 
Regional cluster group in Bangkok has been meeting regularly and 
coordinating with the cluster group in Yangon. The concept has been 
accepted by all heads of agencies. Dealing with air, cross-border, and 
coastal routes, and presently with three in-country logistic hubs.

14. Air operations problems at RGN have been solved, and all applications 
are now directed through MOFA. The template for all procedures is 
available at http://www.logcluster.org/mm08a

15. More warehouse space is urgently needed and being sought to relieve 
the pressure at the airport.

16. More transportation is needed for distribution outside of Yangon.

WASH

17. Nothing to report

Shelter

18. Plastic sheeting and other shelter items are available and more 
needed. 9,000 plastic sheets, 16,000 blankets, 1,000 kitchen units and 
9,000 locally produced ITNs obtained. 50% of this stock will be sent out 
today with NGO partners for distribution, depending on their capacity.

19. Two trucks cleared the Thai-Myanmar border yesterday, 10 May.

20. Two databases in development, one for overview of destruction data 
available to date (from MRCS and UNICEF assessments etc) and the second 
for the medium term disaster count data from each village tract.

21. UNHCR Specialist on emergency arriving today and 2-3 more staff at 
beginning of week, visa requests pending.

Health

22. Nothing to report.

Communications

23. Nothing to report.

Education

24. The Ministry of Education has completed its assessment of damage to 
primary schools. 3,000 schools are destroyed or damaged, affecting 500,000 
children3 Protection of children and women

25. There are a growing number of reports of families being forcibly 
displacement to non-affected townships. A decision must be made as to 
which cluster will take charge of this issue.

26. Two people were arrested for alleged trafficking activities in the 
delta region, but no details are yet available.

INGOs and the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies

27. The IFRC and Myanmar Red Cross aid effort suffered a setback on 11 May 
when the first aid shipment travelling by river to the disaster area sank. 
It is reported that the cargo ship carrying relief supplies for over 1,000 
persons struck a submerged tree trunk.

28. A cargo aircraft charted by the ICRC, carrying 35 tons of equipment 
and materials for medical care, drinking water and sanitation arrived on 
Sunday in Yangon. The supplies will be delivered to several detention 
facilities that were impacted by the cyclone. In addition, the ICRC team 
in Yangon has been working with the Myanmar Red Cross Society in order to 
help restore contact between people separated from their family during the 
natural disaster.

Coordination at the regional level

29. The representative of the ASEAN Secretariat in Yangon has requested 
ASEAN support in clearing the way for importation of food and on visa 
issues.

Update on security situation

30. UN is still in Phase 1 and no change to this is foreseen.

Update on bilateral assistance

31. On 11 May, Australia announced it will provide $AD25 million in 
humanitarian assistance to Myanmar. This sum consists of the initial $AD3 
million announced on 07 May in addition to a further $AD22 million. A 
total contribution of $AD12.5 million will be made to the UN Flash Appeal, 
matching Japan and the UK. In addition, Australia will provide $AD12.5 
million directly through international agencies and non-governmental 
organizations.

Meteorological information

34. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) announced that Myanmar's 
recovery could be hindered by strong winds and rain over the coming week. 
"Occasional tropical rain showers" are expected through Wednesday May 14, 
further forecasting "a period of heavy rainfall' settling in around 
Thursday or Friday. South-westerly winds may then hit the low-lying areas 
devastated by Cyclone Nargis. The WMO noted that the weather front could 
"compound the situation in the coastal region by enhancing precipitation 
and possibly affecting run-off or surge." "While the uncertainty of the 
exact timing of more significant rainfall is high, ensemble prediction 
systems also support the threat of a stronger rainfall episode' during the 
week."

For more information please contact:

YANGON
United Nations Disaster Assessment
and Coordination Team
Dr. Jemilah Mahmood
Tel. +95 (0)1 542910
+95 (0)1 542917
+95 (0)1 544187
Ext. 107
Email: undacmyanmar@gmail.com

Contact for local media inquiries:
United Nations Information Centres
Mr. Aye Win
Tel. +95 (0)1 577057
Tel. (cell) +95 (0)9 5123 952

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

BANGKOK
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

NEW YORK HQ
Asia and Pacific Section Chief
Ms. Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu
Mob: +1 917 476 6164
Tel: 212-963-1773
Email: asekenye-oonyu@un.org

Myanmar Desk
Mr. Ivan Lupis
Mob: +1 917 640 3819
Tel: +1 917 367 2056
Email: ilupis@un.org


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
   Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                               guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis           www.cidi.org/incident/myanmar-08e