Myanmar's state-run television is reporting that more than more than 350 people have died from a powerful cyclone, a U.N. official says. (May 4)

1. NATIONS UNIES UNITED NATIONS
BUREAU DE LA OFFICE FOR THE
COORDINATION COORDINATION
DES AFFAIRES OF HUMANITARIAN
HUMANITAIRES AFFAIRS
OCHA
Cyclone Nargis
Myanmar
OCHA Situation Report No. 22
27 May 2008
This situation report is based on information received by the clusters, whose partners include UN
Agencies, national and international NGOs, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and IOM.
HIGHLIGHTS
1. Today the Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement travelled with the Humanitarian
Coordinator, World Food Programme Regional Director for Asia, Save the Children and
representatives from other UN agencies, NGOs and donors to the affected areas in the delta.
They were able to visit several locations in Labutta and Bogale townships. During the visit the
team viewed sample temporary classrooms erected by SDC. The Minister of Social Welfare
informed that school would start one month later, July 2008, for those children in the
Ayeyarwady.
2. Three international staff from Save the Children were authorised to travel today to the
affected areas. They first travelled today to Pathein, from where they will continue their
journey to cyclone-affected townships of the western delta by boat tomorrow.
Médecins sans Frontières Switzerland has received permission for 8 international staff to
travel to the most affected areas.
UNICEF reported that it had received permission over the weekend for 6 international staff to
travel to the delta.
World Food Programme Country representative today travelled to Labutta and Bogale to the
regional sub-offices, by road.
3. There has been no update to the official figures for dead and missing since 16 May. 77,738
are reported dead and 55,917 missing.
I. NATIONAL RESPONSE
4. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) had reached 124,190 beneficiaries (as of 26 May)
with support provided through the Red Cross movement alone. Around 32,000 of these
beneficiaries are in Yangon Division and 90,000 are in Ayeyarwady Division.
II. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Coordinated In-Country Response (For more detailed Situation Reports for each cluster please check
the HIC website http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org/ )
Health
5. The Health Cluster established a working group focusing on malaria. WHO organized a
technical update on malaria and dengue fever focused on the cyclone-affected areas, with the
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2. participation of UN agencies and 12 NGOs. The update addressed interventions to prevent and
contain outbreaks and requested medicines and diagnostic test kits. A joint plan of action for
prevention and control of malaria and dengue is in preparation. UNICEF will supply diagnostic
test kits and malaria drugs on request from NGOs. WHO shared information on malaria
prophylaxis for aid workers travelling to the affected areas.
6. In line with IASC guidelines, a document on ‘Suggested Strategies for Integrating HIV into the
Coordinated Cyclone Nargis Response’ was prepared by UNAIDS Myanmar and circulated to
the Health Cluster. An informal HIV working group is meeting weekly.
7. UNFPA is today running an orientation on reproductive health in emergency settings.
Population Services International (PSI) Myanmar has offered to make condoms available free of
charge to interested cluster partners working in the field.
8. NGOs continue to collaborate on psychosocial issues and mental health, led by IOM.
9. A medical team from Thailand treated more than 2,500 patients over a 7-day period and
reported that most were diarrhoea cases and that one third of people treated were children. No
epidemics were found. The Government of Myanmar stated that it would like to focus efforts on
aiding pregnant women and young children, and also requested medical supplies and
equipment.
10. Cluster Lead WHO briefed an advance team from Japan and shared guidelines on malaria,
cholera and diarrhoea.
11. No disease outbreaks have been confirmed to date, and investigation of outbreak rumours is
ongoing.
12. WHO Epidemiologist introduced a two-track system for early warning to the Health Cluster. The
system relies firstly on a telephone contact point for each agency, to be contacted daily by WHO
for any reports of potential outbreak. This will be fed into the daily Situation Report. Secondly, a
reporting form and case definitions were agreed and circulated to all agencies. A technical
group (Merlin, Save the Children, Médecins du Monde) will develop a framework for reporting.
The system will include weekly reporting on Sundays with a surveillance bulletin available by
Tuesday. Laboratory support for specimen collection will be established in each township, with
Yangon Central Reference Laboratory providing support. All agencies providing clinical services
discussed the framework (AMDA, SCF, MSF CH and AZG, WV, PACT, AMI, Merlin, IOM, PSI,
MDM, Relief International, IMC).
13. Health Cluster partners will develop an in-depth assessment tool, which will be consolidated
with MOH, to complement the multi-sectoral assessment tool being developed across the
clusters.
14. As Cluster Lead, WHO is inviting partners to submit information for consolidation on supplies
they bring into the country. This information will improve accountability and transparency in the
humanitarian response and is requested by donors. The information will be presented in a
comprehensive supplies tracking database, which currently contains information for UNICEF
WHO, with some other agencies.
WASH
15. The WASH Cluster has released technical guidelines on Rainwater Harvesting and Pond
rehabilitation specifically for use in the Nargis emergency. They are available at:
http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org/water/default.aspx
Education
16. In order to better reflect issues of quality and inclusiveness, the cluster amended its overall goal
to ‘Rapid action for post-emergency provision and restoration of quality early learning and
education in formal and non-formal settings in affected townships’.
17. Cluster Lead UNICEF met with Ministry of Education (MoE) representatives from the
Departments of Education Planning and Basic Education. The impact of the disaster on
teachers, and teacher shortages due to the high death toll was discussed. According to MoE,
there is a surplus of teachers, and if needed, teachers from training colleges could be brought to
affected areas. School feeding was also discussed but at present there are no contributors in
Myanmar. Prioritization of activities for the coming 3-6 months highlighted:
psychosocial counselling and activities for teachers and children;
supplies for schools and students;
school building repairs and reconstruction.
18. Cluster Lead UNICEF is developing a two-pager on ‘Tips for Teachers’ affected by the disaster.
Once this is completed and translated it will be distributed with School Kits, and to cluster
partners. UNICEF has also requested additional capacity in the form of a psychosocial
specialist with experience in dealing with teachers.
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3. 19. UNICEF has received roofing sheets for rehabilitation of schools in Labutta, Bogale and Pyapon
soon.
Protection of Children and Women
20. UNICEF and EMDH are running a one-day training for partners on interventions to protect
children during emergencies on Tuesday 27 May. 110 participants from the MRCS, NGOs,
CBOs and faith-based groups are attending the training.
21. The Protection of Children and Women Cluster has been supported with additional expert
capacity from Save the Children Sweden. UNICEF and Save the Children continue as co-
Cluster Leads.
Agriculture
22. FAO is carrying out an impact and needs assessment for the fisheries and aquaculture sub-
sectors in the cyclone-affected areas to inform further emergency and medium-term response.
Emergency Telecommunications
23. WFP and UNICEF continue to provide technical support to the humanitarian community in
Bangkok and Yangon, and in sub-offices and logistics centres in Labutta, Bogale and Pyapon.
Logistics
24. A Logistics Cluster meeting was held today in Yangon, with 36 participants attended the
meeting.
25. The Cluster has drawn up terms of reference, reporting lines and a schematic process review.
These documents have been made available on the webpage.
26. Currently, the following items are stocked into the interagency warehouse in Yangon: shelter:
105 mt, WASH: 1.5mt, education: 4 mt, health: 1.9 mt, logistics support equipment: 11 mt.
27. Water transport: The barge for Labutta is loading a total of 63 mt of NFIs, food as well as
support equipment for the logistics cluster. The barge is scheduled to depart for Labutta
tomorrow 29th May. The Logistics Cluster has also identified two small boats in Pathein that can
be rented and can be sent to Labutta and Bogale areas.
28. Update on the status of in-country logistics hubs:
Mawlamyinegyun: Arrangements have been made for the logistics cluster to use 2’500 mt
of an existent warehouse.
Bogale: 2 ×MSU up (1 dedicated to UNICEF) 3xMSUs under construction, 150 pallets
Pathein: 4 units of 400 mt each (Total 1,600)
Labutta: 7 ×MSUs up
Pyapon: 2xMSUs up, 150 pallets received
29. One flight carrying high energy biscuits for WFP arrived today in Yangon.
Update on Security Situation
30. The UN is still in Phase 1, and no change to this is foreseen.
Update on Financial Pledges
31. As of 27 May 2008, a total of USD 133,119,065 has been committed to relief operations in
Myanmar, with a further USD 100,223,288 pledged. Out of these total contributions, $ 75 million
has been committed to projects and activities outlined in the UN Flash Appeal. An additional $43.8
million has been pledged. The UN Flash Appeal for Myanmar currently requests $201 million and
is covered at 37.2%. More than 20 UN Agencies and NGOs have requested funding through the
Appeal. The largest contributor thus far to the Flash Appeal is the UN Central Emergency
Response Fund (CERF) with $22.4 million.
32. For updated information on financial contributions, please refer to the OCHA Financial Tracking
System website: http://reliefweb.int/fts/. Donors are encouraged to verify contributions and
inform OCHA Financial Tracking System (FTS) of corrections/additions/values to this table. The
direct email address is: fts@reliefweb.int.
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4. For more information please contact:
OCHA Yangon: Contact for local media inquiries:
Mr. Norwin Schafferer United Nations Information Centres
Tel. +95 (0)1 546899 Mr. Aye Win
Email: schafferer@un.org Tel. +95 (0)1 577057
Tel. (cell) +95 (0)9 5123 952
OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Ms. Ingeborg Moa Mr. Sebastian Rhodes Stampa
Tel. +66 81 374 0835 Tel. +66 89 204 2721
Email: moa@un.org Email: rhodesstampa@un.org
Asia and Pacific Desk NY Myanmar Desk NY
Ms. Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu Mr. Ivan Lupis
Mob: +1 917 476 6164 Tel. +1 917 367 2056
Tel: +1 212-963-1773 Bberry +1 917 640 3819
Email: asekenye-oonyu@un.org Email: lupis@un.org
Press Contact in NY: Press Contact in Geneva:
Ms. Stephanie Bunker Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel: +1 917 476 6164 Tel: +41 22 917 26 53
Email: bunker@un.org Email: byrs@un.org
For Maps on Cyclone Nargis and Myanmar:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.nsf/doc404?OpenForm&emid=TC-2008-000057-MMR
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