Cyclone Aid Project 6: Laputta

(East)

Funded by: Cyclone Aid donors/

sponsors

Donation Items:
1. Fish paste (200 packets)
2. Instant noodles (140 packets)
3. Salt (100 packets of 0.25 viss)
4. Yellow lentils (4 sacks - 200kg)
5. Rice (30 sacks - 1500kg)

6. 9-inch plates (200 pcs)

7. Blankets (200 pcs)
8. Cooking pots (200 pcs)
9. Soap (2 boxes - 196 pcs)
10. Sandals (11 doz.)
11. Women's top undergarments (60 pcs)

12. Children supplements (46 bottles)

13. Adult supplements (15 bottles)

Project Expenditure - Main Fund:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pqVuU-s3oPiZQ0jp9BFmQSA

Project Expenditure - Reserve Fund:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=peewW-g4TJXU-2x4Gh56RAA&gid=1

Map: http://www.logcluster.org/mm08a/map-centre/mawlamyinegyun-township-affected-
areas/
To find the villages we visited, locate Bogale, and follow the Bogale river to the south. Turn
west after the southern tip of Mawlamyaing Gyun. Salaunggya and other villages from the
Yedwingwin Group can be found just below the 16'10 Latitude line on the extreme left side
of the map. The river that flows through this group of villages is known as HlaingBone river.

Coordinator/Expedition Leader:
San Yu

Expedition Volunteers:
U Sein Tun, Ko Nay Zaw, Ko Kyaw Kyaw, Ko Win Zaw, Ma Thida, Ko Aung Hein Naing, Ko
Thein Thein

Special Thanks:
1. Daw Yee Yee Myint (our blanket vendor) who very thoughtfully donated undergarments
for ladies.
2. Our local contact who acted as our guide.

Background:
A local from the area contacted us and invited us to arrange for distribution of aid items. We
purchased items as suggested by this local, and informed him of our trip in advance. There
used to be more than 500 families in this village with a population of approximately 1500
people. Only 100 people survived Nargis. The stories were similar for other neighbouring
villages and a total of 197 families have come together to stay in the same area.

Expedition Diary:
We started preparing for the expedition 2 days in advance. This time, due to the distance,
we wanted to travel light, and had contacted a rice merchant in Bogale to buy rice from
there. We were lucky that a kind person had stepped forward to offer the use of his truck to
the town of Bogale itself. If we had to hire a truck, it would have cost us no less than 3
lakh, exclusive of diesel.

We were ready and set to leave at 3 am on the 8th of June, Sunday. Just as we were about
to set off, we encountered a setback; the truck broke down. We spent the whole day trying
to repair the truck, while a few of us searched for alternative solutions. [Note: In Burma,
commercial vehicles frequently break down and as spare parts are difficult to secure, it
takes rather a lot of time and manpower to get them back into working condition. Taxies
have been known to break down 2-3 times a week.]

In the late afternoon, we reached a decision; we would just have to take public transport to
Bogale. So, at about 6pm, we hired a van to take us from downtown to the bus interchange.
We then transferred the cargo to the bus and set off to Bogale. We arrived in Bogale at
about 6 on Monday morning.

After breakfast, we went in search of a boat that will take us to the village that we wanted
to reach. As arranged, the merchant had reserved 30 sacks of rice for us. As the rice was
being loaded onto the boat, we sourced for diesel. We needed about 15 gallons for a return
trip.

We left Bogale at 10am. We first travelled south along Bogale river and turned west into
one of the smaller rivers which connected to the Ayeyarwaddy river to the south of
Mawlamyaing Gyun. The boatmen told us that the connecting river was called KyatPyay but
we could not find its name on the map. Finally, at about 530pm, we entered HlaingBone
riverway which was where we wanted to go.

The riverway was littered with skeletons

and there were a few bodies floating in it.
We found many scattered familes on the
river bank, and gave out small aid
packages to them, depending on what
they needed. We also found villagers from
2 villages on the river bank living in a
commune. These villagers were originally
from Yedagar and MyawChaung. We
stopped to distribute items to a total of
117 families from these villages.

We finally arrived at Salaunggya village at

about 7pm. We learnt that, from an
original population of 500 households, only
about 30-40 families survived the cyclone. Belonging to the Yedwingwin group, Salaunggya
and its neighbouring villages were in the direct path of the cyclone (Ref: http://google-
latlong.blogspot.com/2008/05/tracking-path-of-cyclone-nargis.html). As there was no high
ground or tall trees (only tall grass grew there), many families perished.

According to the locals, the tides were as high as 20 feet. The tall grass, at 6 feet, offered
no protection from the floods. As Salaunggya is located on the river bank, other surviving
villagers from inland villages have come to stay, making up a total of 197 families. Our aid
was received with smiles, and supplements accepted with curiosity.

Solidarity was apparent. As soon as we started distributing, a local man ran out to the fields
to gather the families living there so that they could receive the items as well. We
distributed all the aid items there and donated 2 bottles of supplements (meant for seniors)
to the monastery.

On the way back, we ate dinner on the boat; it was a meal of coconut and boiled rice. By
then, our supply of clean water has run out and so, we have no idea how the boatmen
prepared the rice. In retrospect, they might have been using water from the river itself.
Thankfully, none of us had taken ill after the trip.

http://cyclone-aid.blogspot.com

This report was prepared by San Yu on 2008-06-14.