OCHA Situation Report No. 14
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
19 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Thissituation report is based on information receivedby the clusters, 
whose partners includeUN Agencies, national and international NGOs, the 
Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and IOM.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The estimated number of affected persons is 2.4 million, including 
those severely affected.

These figures are based on the numerous assessment reports received of the 
numbers of people affected in each township. Whilst limited access has 
hampered the accuracy of the data, Cluster Leads were today able to gain a 
picture of gaps that require further assessments, and agree upon a 
baseline planning figure for programming.

2. Initial estimates indicate 150,000 people in about 120 settlements in 
the delta. This is a mixture of both official and unofficial temporary 
settlements.

3. Requests with the Government for the approval of international staff to 
travel to the affected region are still pending. Although access to the 
delta is challenging, some elements of the Logistics Cluster Operations 
Plan are in place. Maximum efforts are being made by partners to utilise 
national structures existing prior to Cyclone Nargis to provide assistance 
to the affected areas. Relief arriving on commercial flights is being 
transported to the affected areas. However, this is not of the quantity or 
frequency required to meet the needs of the affected populations. Access 
is also compounded by the weather conditions as heavy rains prevent cargo 
from moving along some roads to the delta.

4. The Government has announced that schools will open on 2 June 2008. 
There is concern regarding those schools in both the delta and Yangon 
areas that are currently being used as temporary settlements.

5. Several agencies report that movement of people towards less affected 
areas is continuing, driven by food shortages in the most affected 
villages. Increases in the numbers of displaced persons in population 
centres were reported including in temporary settlements Labutta and 
Pathein.

6. Local authorities in Labutta have told relief workers that they have 
started sending villagers back to their villages.

7. According to the figures of the Yangon office of the UN Department of 
Safety and Security there are currently 109 national UN staff present in 
the cyclone-affected areas, and 72 international UNstaff in Yangon. No 
international UN staff have been authorised to work in the affected areas.

8. Thailand's Foreign Minister said Sunday that the Thai government has 
agreed to a UN proposal to use Bangkok's Don Mueang airport a 
logisticalcentre for humanitarian aid to cyclone survivors.

9. There has been no change in the official figures for dead and missing 
since yesterday. 77,738 are reporteddead and 55,917 missing.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=4F473EAE6AAB21C64925744E001DFEFD&file=Full_Report.pdf


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