Cyclone Nargis: Major milestones reached, but more humanitarian work still to be done

Six months ago on 2 May 2008 the destructive power of Cyclone Nargis made landfall on Myanmar. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) today announced that while the Red Cross has reached major milestones, important and difficult work remains ahead if people and communities are to reach the living standards they knew before the Cyclone Nargis tragedy.[Read more]

Cyclone Nargis: profiles of village recovery
By Karl Schuler, Swiss Red Cross on special assignment with IFRC in Myanmar

With memories still fresh of the cyclone that devastated the Ayeyarwady Delta in early May, the population of Myanmar is now undertaking recovery efforts in the face of monsoon storms.

With a regular chug-chug sound, the boat carrying relief supplies and a team of Myanmar Red Cross Society relief workers glided across the fertile Ayeyarwady delta. The brown waters of the Yway river were in stark contrast to the light green of newly sown rice paddies along its banks.[Read more]

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis: Facts & Figures
(As at 15 October 2008)

CYCLONE IMPACT
Official government sources continue to report:
Death toll: 84,500 people and 53,800 people missing
Affected: 2.4 million people, according to United Nations

INTERNATIONAL AID WORKERS
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) currently has 27 expatriate aid workers of which 25 are in-country. They have vital expertise and experience in shelter, disaster management, water an sanitation, health, psychosocial support, logistics and field assessments. Four delegates are based in the field.

RELIEF

• An estimated 260,000 households have been reached with emergency relief, water, sanitation, shelter and health support. An average household consists of five people.
• Relief distribution continues to 21,900 households based on assessments where Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) staff and volunteers find communities not yet supported.
• More than 2,500 metric tons of relief were received by air and 100 metric tons by ship.
• Additionally, MRCS has provided significant support to organizations working alongside the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, such as the UN and nongovernmental organizations. This is not reflected in the figures above.
• Up to 10,000 volunteers may have been active at any one time at the height of the relief response. The operation attracted additional volunteers, with many trained as trainers and facilitators in first aid, health promotion and psychosocial support. [Read more]