OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
5 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. The authorities have declared five states and divisions (Yangon, 
Ayeyarwady, Bago, Mon and Kayin) to be disaster areas. Yangon sustained a 
direct hit, which downed power and communications lines, and inflicted 
major damage to buildings in the city. Many roads are blocked either by 
flooding or fallen debris. Damage was most severe in the delta region, 
where the effects of extreme winds were compounded by a sizable storm 
surge. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Social Welfare, Relief and 
Rehabilitation and Information noted in a briefing this evening that up to 
10,000 people are expected to be dead, with 3,000 more missing in 
Ayeyarwady Division alone. State media have reported that in Haing Ky, an 
island in the delta, 162 were killed and nearly 20,000 houses were 
destroyed, leaving 92,706 homeless. Several hundred thousand are estimated 
to be without shelter and safe drinking water.

2. Efforts to carry out a comprehensive assessment continue to be hindered 
by the lack of communications and blocked roads, however. The Government 
has announced that military and police units have been deployed as part of 
rescue and cleanup operations. It has also established an Emergency 
Committee, headed by the Prime Minister.

3. The number of people in need of assistance is expected to be 
considerable. The combined total population of the declared disaster areas 
is around 24 million. Roughly 6 million live in Yangon and a significant 
population is spread across the delta region. The UNCT still expects that 
critical needs will be plastic sheeting, water purification tablets, 
cooking sets, mosquito nets, emergency health kits and food. Fuel 
shortages have also been reported. The food security situation in the 
country, which was already severe, is likely to become more acute.

4. The Government indicated in a briefing with UN agencies and the 
diplomatic community this evening that it is open to international 
assistance, although it would appear at this stage that the assistance 
envisaged is primarily bilateral, with assistance going directly to 
Government relief agencies. The Government itself has pledged 
approximately USD 5 million for relief.

II. SITUATION IN THAILAND

5. The Government of Thailand has reported that five districts in Tak 
Province along the Thailand- Myanmar border have encountered severe 
flooding conditions from continuous heavy rain. More than 100 households 
have been inundated and over 1,000 people have been left homeless. Damage 
is also reported to roads in the affected areas.

Attachments: 
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=B39FFA19EAC6CE9F852574400065C147&file=Full_Report.pdf

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