OPERATIONS FACT SHEET

MYANMAR: Cyclone Nargis 2008

Background: The worst cyclone to hit Myanmar in decades, Cyclone Nargis, occurred on 2nd and 3rd May 2008, devastating 115 villages in the divisions of Ayeyarwady and Yangon. Much of the loss of life and damage was caused by a consequent storm surge (reportedly 3.5 metres in many areas and 7 metres in parts). On flat land this phenomenon can be devastating. While technology allows cyclones to be seen in terms of wind speed and rain potential, storm surges are much more difficult to predict. According to official figures, 84,500 people were killed and 53,800 are still listed as missing. The UN estimates that 2.4 million people were affected. Irish Red Cross response:
Emergency relief phase: The Irish public responded generously to the Irish Red Cross Cyclone Nargis Appeal. This enabled us to immediately respond to the huge needs of the affected populations by contributing to the combined co-ordinated efforts of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. In this way, for emergency relief goods and emergency shelter for those whose Irish Red Cross Delegate, Joe Lowry, arrived in homes had been damaged or destroyed. Myanmar in the days following Cyclone Nargis to Additionally, an experienced Irish Red Cross assist in the IFRC emergency operation. Delegate, Joe Lowry, was mobilised to support the emergency relief operation on the ground. Amount contributed by IRCS to this appeal: Recovery phase: Once the most immediate needs of those affected by the cyclone are met, it is also vital to ensure that longer-term projects are undertaken to rebuild communities and infrastructure destroyed. In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, there was an urgent need to ensure access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation. The Irish Red Cross responded to these needs by providing support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to build the capacity of the Myanmar Red Cross Society Branch network. This included training in the construction, operation and maintenance of cement water tanks in disaster-prone areas. 480,000

Dates of IRCS involvement:

May August 2008

IRCS personnel:
1 Irish Red Cross Delegate was seconded to the Myanmar emergency operation

Sectors supported by IRCS:

Emergency relief goods Emergency shelter Water and sanitation Capacity building

International Red Cross Movement response:

The international operation to assist the thousands of people affected by Cyclone Nargis was complex and challenging. The areas affected were isolated and there was limited access via roads, even before the cyclone damaged much of the local infrastructure, and local resources to respond to a disaster of this scale were limited. The ICRC office in the capital, Yangon, was requested by the Myanmar authorities to assist in providing temporary shelter, emergency household items and emergency food, drinking water and medical supplies. Additionally, as various places of detention were in the path of the cyclone, the ICRC provided assistance to detainees, and through the ICRCs Restoring Family Links service assisted separated family members in finding loved ones, as well as the dignified identification of the dead. A key component of the Red Cross Movement response was to provide support to the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) staff and volunteers. The MRCS/ IFRC Cyclone Nargis operation targeted 100,000 households in vulnerable communities spanning 13 townships in the Ayeyarwady Delta and Yangon Division and was the largest relief operation in the cycloneaffected area. The MRCS/ IFRC assistance comprised of support for health care, water and sanitation, emergency and long-term shelter, and restarting livelihoods. The operation also included a broad range of repairs to community infrastructure, schools and health centres that were damaged by the cyclone.

Beneficiary communication Community meetings and strategically placed bulletin boards and mailboxes were used in villages as an important means of communication between those affected by the cyclone and the Red Cross Movement. These created a forum which allowed people benefiting from assistance to deliver requests and complaints about the assistance they were receiving. Face-to-face discussions between relief personnel and villagers took place during frequent meetings and daily monitoring visits. Such transparency and accountability to the communities affected is a key element in the effectiveness of relief operations.

Daw Myint Htay lost her house and boat during the cyclone. Since then it has been difficult for her to provide for her six children. A new boat and a cashgrant from the Red Cross livelihoods programme has made it easier for her to again earn an income and support her family. (MRCS/ IFRC)

For more information on the work of the Irish Red Cross, please visit our website at: www.redcross.ie Irish Red Cross Head Office 16 Merrion Square Dublin 2 Ireland Tel: 00353 (0)1 642 4600