News about our Burma appeal

27 May 2008

Cyclone Nargis, which struck Burma on May 2nd, has claimed the lives of approximately 130,000 people.

It is estimated that 2.5 million people have been affected by the worst disaster to hit Asia since the 2004 Tsunami.

The cyclone struck the Irrawaddy river delta region, southwest of the capital Yangon. It destroyed tens of thousands of homes and wiped out rice crops, leading to fears of widespread food shortages. 

In some villages, up to 95% of houses were flattened and in Yangon, almost 50% of houses were destroyed. The situation remains desperate. People are still in urgent need of shelter, food and water.

Y Care International launched an emergency appeal on 7th May to raise money for our partner, ACT International and our partner YMCAs in the region, to provide vital support to the most vulnerable people.

ACT International has established a rapid support team in Yangon and Bangkok. The team is working to coordinate efforts among ACT members and their local partners. To date, ACT partners have distributed clean water, emergency food and non-food items to over 100,000 people. Materials are being delivered from stocks that were purchased in Burma or were already in the country prior to the disaster.

“The immediate priority is to continue getting life-saving assistance out to those in need, but ACT members also foresee significant rehabilitation challenges ahead, including food security and livelihood recovery,” said John Nduna, Director of ACT International.

ACT plans to provide up to 1.3 million people with access to safe water through the  rehabilitation of 5,000 water points. They are also providing emergency shelter to 340,000 people, as well as distributing food and non-food items.