Myanmar (Burma) cyclone

The disaster in Myanmar (Burma) as a result of cyclone Nargis was far worse than anyone had anticipated. ActionAid is there working with partners to help rebuild the lives of some of the most vulnerable people.

According to the UN there are more 134,000 people dead or missing and 2.4 million people have been severely affected - such as losing their homes and possessions.

The cyclone destroyed thousands of buildings, power lines, trees, roads and blocked the water supply to large parts of the population. Houses along the coast were reduced to skeletal structures and 16 villages were virtually wiped out.

ActionAid's response
After cyclone Nargis struck on 2 May we immediately responded, supplying food, water and shelter to the most vulnerable people; children, women and the elderly.

"Recovery must go hand in hand with the relief effort. People remain very vulnerable for a long time after a disaster so we need to ensure that they are getting all the help they need" Roger Yates, ActionAid Head of Emergencies.

So far we’ve been able to help over 120,000 people in 350 villages in the worst affected areas of Myanmar (Burma).

Working through four established local partner organisations we've been able to make sure that vital aid quickly got through to those people who needed it most.

As well as providing rice and water purification tablets, we have also started cash for work schemes enabling people like Daw Wah Wah Htun to repair their villages and supplying tools and seeds so people like Daw Htay can start to earning a living again.

Another important aspect of our work in Myanmar is psychosocial care - attending to the mental health of the survivors. Dealing with these issues from the outset helps those caught up in disasters to recover more quickly and contributes to long term stability at a community level.

photo : ©ActionAid