OCHA Situation Report No. 17
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
21 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received by the clusters, 
whose partners include UN Agencies, national and international NGOs, the 
Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and IOM.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The Minister of Commerce has granted WFP permission to buy an initial 
10,000 MT of rice through its usual suppliers, as part of the agreement 
for delivery of food assistance for 6 months in the delta. This 
complements the 1,909.5 MT of rice delivered to the affected areas as of 
20 May. To feed the 750,000 people for 3 months, as planned in the Flash 
Appeal, will require 55,000 MT of rice of which only 50% may be procured 
in country. Given the Food Cluster has been awaiting the approval of the 
Government to import rice, pulses and vegetable oil (Situation Report 13), 
this is a breakthrough and the beginning of increased provision of food to 
the affected areas. However, this remains a fraction of the amount needed.

2. USG John Holmes met with the Secretary General of ASEAN, Dr Surin 
Pitsuwan while in Yangon to discuss arrangements for cooperation and 
coordination between the UN and international humanitarian community, 
ASEAN and the Government of Myanmar in accordance with the declaration of 
the ASEAN Foreign Ministers of 19 May 2008.

3. In Labutta, the authorities announced that there are now 12 tented 
relief settlements, which plan to operate for 6 months, and that all other 
temporary shelters in Labutta town would be closed down by 9 June.

4. The capacity to transport goods to the delta increased today with the 
contracting of three barges and fleet of thirty trucks. The transport of 
assistance is dependent on the prioritisation of the humanitarian 
community to the affected townships and the supply pipeline.

5. There has been no change in the official figures for dead and missing. 
77,738 are reported dead and 55,917 missing.

I. NATIONAL RESPONSE

6. State media reported that wellwishers across Myanmar had donated 
7,854,848,955 kyat (approximately USD 7.27 million) in cash and in 
materials to the relief efforts by 19 May.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=54B13FAA0CB88B058525745000637594&file=Full_Report.pdf


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