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USAID Responds to Cyclone Nargis
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
July 30, 2008
- On July 21, the Tripartite Core Group, including representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Government of Burma (GOB), and the U.N., released the final Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA) report, based on assessments conducted in Ayeyarwady and Rangoon divisions from June 10 to 19. According to ASEAN, the document describes the human loss and damage to infrastructure caused by the cyclone, as well as the impact of the disaster on both the national economy and household-level livelihoods.
- On July 10, the U.N. released a revised $482 million appeal to support post-cyclone assistance for Burma through April 2009. The appeal, based on the PONJA findings, includes $201 million requested in the previous U.N. appeal.
- USAID/OFDA is supporting additional agricultural and livelihoods recovery activities through the international non-governmental organization (NGO) Save the Children/U.S. (SC/US). USAID/OFDA is also supporting the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) and the NGO PACT to recapitalize an existing microfinance program disrupted by the cyclone.
Humanitarian Assistance Fact Sheets
07/30/08: Fact Sheet #25 (pdf, 57kb)
07/30/08: Map #25 (pdf, 577kb )
Tropical Cyclone Nargis, a Category 4 storm, was located off the coast of Pagoda Point, Burma, with sustained winds of 130 mph and gusts up to 160 mph.
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| ESTIMATED NUMBERS AT A GLANCE* | SOURCE |
|---|
| Total Dead | 84,537 | GOB1 – June 24, 2008 |
| 63,000-101,000 | OCHA2 – May 9, 2008 |
| Total Missing | 53,836 | GOB – June 24, 2008 |
| Total Number Affected | 2.4 million | OCHA – May 29, 2008 |
FY 2008 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE
USAID/OFDA Assistance to Burma: $28,506,180
USAID/FFP3 Assistance to Burma: $12,000,000
DOD4 Assistance to Burma: $9,475,900
Total USG Humanitarian Assistance to Burma: $49,982,080
1. U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
2. USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP)
3. U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
CURRENT SITUATION
- According to OCHA, the cyclone severely affected an estimated 2.4 million people. During a three-day visit to Burma that concluded on July 24, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs indicated that humanitarian organizations had reached virtually all cyclone-affected individuals with some relief assistance, but stressed the challenge of systematically providing ongoing support, particularly to populations in remote areas.
Early Recovery
- From July 8 to 11, a USAID/OFDA disaster specialist, a USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia medical doctor, and three staff from the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon conducted general needs assessments in 11 villages in Labutta and Ngapudaw townships, Ayeyarwady Division. Residents surveyed by the assessment team in each village consistently identified assistance to reestablish livelihoods as a primary need.
- USAID/OFDA is focusing on livelihoods interventions to provide quick access to income and employment for affected populations. USAID/OFDA is supporting NGO partners including Church World Services (CWS), International Development Enterprises (IDE), SC/US, World Concern (WC), and ACTED to implement early recovery activities for cyclone-affected populations in Ayeyarwady and Rangoon divisions. The programs will assist vulnerable communities to resume agricultural activities during the current planting season, as well as providing employment opportunities, supporting the resumption of interrupted livelihoods, recapitalizing a microfinance program, and rehabilitating basic infrastructure in affected communities.
Food Assistance
- On July 25, the U.N World Food Program (WFP) noted that the PONJA findings substantiated WFP’s concerns regarding a drastic reduction in household food stocks as a result of the cyclone. The PONJA indicated that more than 40 percent of the cyclone-affected households surveyed lost all food stocks during the cyclone.
- In response to the PONJA results, WFP recently scaled up emergency feeding programs for 924,000 beneficiaries, which will continue until April 2009 at a total cost of $112 million. To date, WFP has assisted 733,490 cyclone-affected individuals with food assistance, in addition to coordinating the U.N. Logistics Cluster.
- To date, USAID/FFP has provided approximately $12 million in P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance through WFP. USAID/FFP is planning to make an additional contribution to WFP to support expanded WFP operations. USAID/FFP will continue to monitor food security in cyclone-affected areas.
Logistics
- On July 28, the U.N. Logistics Cluster noted that the air bridge from Bangkok to Rangoon now comprises two Antonov-12 aircraft, one of which has replaced the larger capacity Ilyushin-76 aircraft. The U.N. logistics cluster has reported that the air bridge will conclude operations on August 10.
- The U.N. Logistics Cluster in Rangoon conducted a workshop on July 28 to plan for the continued operation of the logistics hubs in the Ayeyarwady Division by humanitarian NGOs after August 10. Participating organizations discussed the existing parameters of hub operations, addressing possible cost-sharing options between organizations and identifying potential lead agencies for the hubs of Pyapon, Bogale, and Labutta townships.
- The cluster reported that boats and barges are now transporting as much as 95 percent of the surface cargo to the logistics hubs due to the continued deterioration of roads as the rainy season progresses.
USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
- On May 5, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Shari Villarosa declared a disaster in Burma due to the effects of Cyclone Nargis. In response, USAID/OFDA deployed a USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team and immediately provided $250,000 to U.N. agencies for shelter and water and sanitation assistance.
- To date, USAID/OFDA has provided a total of more than $28 million for emergency relief commodities and programs in agriculture and food security, economy and market systems, health, nutrition, protection, shelter and settlements, humanitarian coordination, logistics, and water, sanitation, and hygiene.
- From May 12 to June 22, the DOD-operated USG air bridge completed 185 airlifts and delivered more than $4 million in USAID/OFDA emergency relief supplies, as well as DOD, U.N., NGO, and Government of Thailand commodities. The USAID/OFDA commodities benefited at least 445,000 individuals and included 38,800 hygiene kits, 6,500 rolls of plastic sheeting, 15,000 mosquito nets, 95,300 ten-liter water containers, 10 water treatment units, 12 zodiac boats, and fourteen 10,000-liter water storage bladders. USAID/OFDA funded 12 flights from regional warehouses in Dubai and Pisa to deliver the commodities to Utapao, Thailand, for transportation to Burma on the USG air bridge.
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