CARE Reports Magnitude of Disaster In Myanmar Coming to Light
Destruction and Suffering in Irrawady Delta Far Worse than in Yangon

"The cyclone completely wiped out whole towns and villages in the Delta, leaving the survivors with only what they have on their backs," said CARE's country director, Brian Agland.

"The loss of life and the level of suffering and destruction is far worse than what we are seeing in Yangon," he continued.

The damage from the cyclone, including fallen trees and power lines littering the roads, has made it very difficult for agencies and the authorities to get to the affected areas and assess the damage and the scale of relief that will be required. As a result, the true impact of the cyclone and the severity of the damage are becoming known little by little.

More than a week after Cyclone Nargis tore across Myanmar, the need for lifesaving supplies such as clean water, food and shelter is acute. CARE has completed its assessment of Tha Ke Ta and East Dagon Townships in Yangon, making a preliminary distribution of rice and hygiene supplies as well as diesel fuel. The organization's assessment teams will be moving further from Yangon to villages southwest of the capital where we are hearing reports of some villages that sustained heavy damage in the cyclone but have yet to receive assistance.

The organization has been distributing both food and water in the hardest hit areas and is also working to bring in mobile water treatment plant technology from Bangladesh to purify drinking water and help prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. The treatment "plants" fit on the back of pick up trucks, which are able to go community to community. In addition, CARE has 10,000 household kits prepared and ready to ship from Bangkok, with another 90,000 kits being readied, half of which will be distributed by a colleague organization. CARE has been asked to work with the U.N. World Food Program to distribute food in Myaung Mya, Wakema and Pathein towns in the Irrawaddy Delta.

"We are also purchasing supplies in Yangon to ensure our distribution to the Irrawaddy delta of food and water happens immediately," says Agland. "It is essential that the UN and government authorities agree on an appropriate mechanism for the entry of staff and the receipt and distribution of goods," he stressed.

"CARE wants to move its best emergency response specialists in to the country so that they can provide critical support to our approximately 500 staff already on the ground in the quickest and most efficient way," added Rigoberto Giron, CARE USA's emergency director.

"The situation in the disaster zones is extremely serious. If action isn't taken immediately, there is a strong risk that there will be a major epidemic that could cost even more lives," Giron said.

Local authorities have cooperated with CARE and provided support, enabling our assessment teams to get into the field and our emergency response to commence. These local authorities have set up a coordinated effort with the UN and other international humanitarian organizations. 

CARE has 60 years of experience delivering emergency aid. With ongoing poverty-fighting projects in more than 70 countries, CARE can respond quickly anywhere in the world. Our emergency responses focus on the needs of the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. CARE has been working in Myanmar for more than 14 years, striving to help ordinary people improve their lives. Our programs have focused on food security, health, HIV/AIDS prevention and water and sanitation.

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