Press Release: 22 May 2008
UN says only a quarter of people in Myanmar (Burma) being reached but DEC agencies still providing emergency aid
More than a million still in desperate need
The United Nations estimates up to 2.4 million could be affected by the May 2 storm and sea surge that left nearly 134,000 dead or missing.
Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive of the DEC, said ’Whilst it is true that the lack of pictures have reduced the chance of people seeing images of the survivors and the charities heroic efforts to help them, our Member agencies and their partners have reached around 900,000 people and we need to and can reach many more. People have generously donated £8m which means medical supplies, food, clean water and temporary shelter are getting through. We think the public will continue to give generously when they hear about the increased diplomatic efforts that will continue over the weekend.
Facts on how many people are being reached
ActionAid’s local partner organisations are running two relief camps for 42,000 people providing temporary shelter, hot meals and clean drinking water. They have funded a medial clinic serving 550 villages and are also distributing clothing and mosquito nets.
CAFOD supported partners have reached 26,000 with food and emergency aid items.
Care have reached 90,000 in total with food, water and emergency supplies including clothing, cooking pots, hygiene kits including soap and toothbrushes, plastic sheeting etc.
Christian Aid's local partners are distributing food, water purification tablets, blankets, plastic sheeting, clothes, mosquito nets and medicines to 200,000 people in hundreds of villages. They have also set up kindergartens for children in relief camps, sent out medical and veterinary teams and provided generators and chain saws so people can clear fallen trees.
Concern’s partners in the field are distributing up to 75 tones of rice, as well as pulses, cooking oil, salt, sugar, tarpaulins, soap and water purification solution to more than 6,000 people over the coming few days.
Help the Aged supported partners have set up community kitchens and are also providing health checks up and basic medicines which have reached up to 6,000 people.
Merlin is providing clean water, water purification, plastic sheeting and basic health care in three internally displaced people's camps in Laputta. Merlin is reaching 90,000 people in the inaccessible Laputta region, Laputta town and surrounding villages. A boat carrying aid arrived on 19 May 08.
Oxfam so far has made over one million dollars’ worth of grants to partner organisations working inside Myanmar delivering relief to 22,000 people. They are distributing essential life-saving items such as rice, beans and oil, drinking water, soap, clothes, family first aid kits, and plastic sheeting, plus repairing damaged wells and providing basic sanitation facilities.
The Red Cross have reached over 100,000 people. 30 Red Cross Red Crescent relief flights have landed in Yangon with more than 540 tons of Red Cross Red Crescent aid arriving via this relief pipeline. The Red Cross Red Crescent relief pipeline has so far carried 42,000 mosquito nets, 36,000 tarpaulins, shelter kits for around 35,000 people, over 20,000 jerry cans and over 7,000 kitchen kits into Yangon.
Save the Children has reached 160,000 people, including around 33,000 children around Yangon and 20,000 in the Irrawaddy delta.
Tearfund relief teams have reached 55,000 people and are focussing on giving food, water, shelter, medical supplies, basic medical treatment and provision of generators to pump clean water to those in the worst affected areas.
World Vision’s local team has been working around the clock to assist more than 130,000 children and adults with relief assistance such as clean water, medicine and temporary shelters.
To make an urgent donation to the DEC Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Appeal. Donate online or call: 0870 60 60 900.
Ends
Notes to editors:
The DEC
1. The Disasters Emergency Committee agencies are Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.
2. We have spokespeople in the field and spokespeople who have recently returned available for interviews. Case studies and pictures are also available.
3. Public donations will be used for immediate needs such as food, clean water, medicines and shelter. But the scale of the devastation is so immense that a huge relief and reconstruction effort will be needed over the coming months.
