A Tearfund partner in Myanmar (Burma) today revealed plans for a major relief operation in the aftermath of deadly cyclone Nargis.
World Concern Myanmar is one of two Tearfund partners with church links working to help survivors of the storm which has claimed 22,000 lives and left around one million people homeless.
World Concern’s Robin Shell said, `World Concern Myanmar is planning a major response, with both a short term relief element and a longer term – two to three years – rehabilitation focus.’
However he stressed that much depends on obtaining the necessary permissions from the Myanmar authorities:
Medical help
`We’re already initiating a relief response through local partners, including medical assistance and we’re looking to scale up depending on on-going dialogue with the local authorities.’
Communications, he added, remains a challenge. World Concern Myanmar reports `a near total loss of services’ in some areas battered by the cyclone.
Its offices in Yangon suffered water and storm damage but has started functioning partially, with all personnel now accounted for.
Many staff have experienced damage to their own homes but they are continuing with their work in making damage assessments and response planning with UN agencies and local voluntary and charitable organisations in the areas of water, sanitation, food and shelter.
Severely damaged
Staff working with fellow Tearfund partner, the Myanmar Baptist Convention - which has links to 4,000 churches - report that most of their buildings in Yangon have also been severely damaged.
They say many church members have been affected but despite this, work is ongoing to make proper assessments of the damage and aid requirements.
That work will be helped by a £150,000 commitment from Tearfund, money donated by supporters to our disasters fund.
A picture is emerging of massive devastation caused by the storm and the UN is predicting that hundreds of thousands of people will require help amid reports that food and fuel are in short supply.
The Myanmar authorities have declared five regions – Yangon, Irrawaddy, Bago, Mon and Kayin – disaster areas.
Suspicious
Myanmar state TV reports that the death toll still stands at 22,000, although international diplomatic sources suggest the figure could be nearer 100,000.
The UK’s Department for International Development reckons up to 5 million people will be affected by Nargis and is offering £5 million for relief efforts.
Traditionally Myanmar’s military junta has been suspicious of foreign aid agencies and this has been reflected in the amount of help arriving in the country.
The UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, stated that while assistance has started to arrive, the effort is clearly not adequate given the enormity of the situation. `We are faced here with a major catastrophe,’ he said.