Cyclone Nargis made landfall on 2 May 2008, leaving 84,500 people dead in its wake and up to 53,800 people missing. According to United Nations estimates, 2.4 million people were affected.

With a storm surge of between 3.5 and 7 metres high careening towards Myanmar at wind speeds of up to 194 kph, the cyclone has been rated as one of the deadliest in the North Indian Ocean Basin. The cyclone went inland to devastate and rearrange 35 kilometres of Myanmar’s topography.

The Myanmar Red Cross Society, supported by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, immediately stepping in to assist thousands of people affected in 115 townships along the coastal delta region of Myanmar.

The support came in form of relief distributions, emergency shelter, livelihoods, community-based health and first aid, psychosocial support, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion and disaster preparedness and risk reduction. The work of restoring livelihoods is still ongoing in Myanmar.