OCHA Situation Report No. 32
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
17 June 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008, making landfall in 
the Ayeyarwady Division and hitting the former capital, Yangon. 37 
townships were significantly affected by the cyclone. Current estimates 
suggest that 2.4 million people were affected. 1.3 million people are 
estimated to have been reached so far by International NGOs, the Red Cross 
and the UN. Official figures put the number of dead or missing at more 
than 130,000.

2. A Tripartite Core Group (TCG), consisting of high-level representatives 
of the Government of Myanmar, ASEAN and the UN, was established at a donor 
conference in Yangon on 25 May to oversee the coordination of relief 
assistance. The group's fifth meeting took place in Yangon on 14 June. The 
ASEAN Secretary-General, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, visited Yangon on 14 June. 
The Secretary-General met with TCG partners, PONJA management teams (see 
below) and Government representatives.

3. A joint relief and early recovery assessment (Post-Nargis Joint 
Assessment/PONJA) is underway. The assessment involves humanitarian needs 
(Village Tract Assessment/VTA) and damage components (Damage and Loss 
Assessment/DaLA). Field surveys involving some 250 assessment personnel 
are taking place in 30 of the worst-affected townships between 10 and 19 
June. As of 16 June 32 VTA teams have covered 84 out of 128 assessment 
'quadrants' in Bogale, Labutta, Pathein, Pyapon, Wakema and Yangon.

4. New Government guidelines for international organizations providing 
assistance in cyclone-affected areas were introduced on 10 June. UN 
agencies and NGOs report difficulties with requests for visas and travel 
authorizations carried out in accordance with the new guidelines, with 
many line ministries not provided with instructions to expedite requests. 
More than 200 visas have been issued to UN staff as of 15 June. Most of 
the visas issued have been single entry visas for two weeks. Extensions 
are currently being approved in approximately 7-10 days. Close to 150 
international operational UN staff have been to the affected areas as of 
15 June, and at least five international UN staff have now been given 
permission to be based for up to 3 months in the field.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

5. The Xinhua news service reports that the Myanmar Engineers' Society 
(MES) and the Geological Science Society (GSS) are planning to build 
cyclone shelters in 500 vulnerable villages. The total cost of the project 
is estimated to be at least US$15 million. Designs are reportedly being 
developed by MES and sample shelters will initially be constructed in 
Ayeyarwady division.

6. IFRC reports that the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), working with 
the IFRC and the ICRC, has reached more than 250,000 beneficiaries with 
water, food and other relief items as of 9 June. More than 189,950 of 
these beneficiaries are located in the Ayeyarwady delta. Approximately 
10,000 people per day are being reached.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

7. The following information is provided by the clusters, which meet 
regularly to coordinate the humanitarian response of national and 
international NGOs, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and UN agencies. 
For more detailed up-to-date information relating to cluster activities 
please visit the Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) website: 
http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=54190473A636E6654925746B00028871&file=Full_Report.pdf


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