MYANMAR (November 2, 2008) – Today marks six months since Cyclone Nargis tore through southern Myanmar, leaving over 130,000 people dead or missing and affecting 2.4 million more.
While for many this disaster may be forgotten, CARE is continuing to provide essential humanitarian aid to almost 270,000 people in the most severely affected areas.
CARE will continue working in Yangon and Aereywaddy Divisions for another two and a half years until full recovery is achieved.
“Cyclone Nargis was the worst natural disaster in Myanmar in living memory. It destroyed villages, communities and families - and those who were most affected by the Cyclone are still in need of our help,” says CARE Australia CEO Dr Julia Newton-Howes.
In the six months since the Cyclone hit, CARE has provided:
• 34,163 family kits
• 8,480 blankets
• 13,446 bars of soap
• Over 3000 metric tones of rice
• 238 litres of cooking oil
• 40 metric tonnes of salt
• 201,439 bamboo poles
• 24,099 shelter kits
• 7,233 tool kits
As the emergency effort continues, CARE is working with communities beyond the provision of initial relief on its ongoing response to accelerate the recovery of lives and livelihoods.
While livelihood recovery is already underway – supplying rice paddy for planting, restocking fingerlings in the Yangon River and supplying critical assets, such as boats and fishing nets – more must be done.
“It is incredibly important that those whose lost so much in the cyclone are not forgotten now. We need to help them rebuild their livelihoods or else they risk being trapped in extreme poverty.” says Dr Newton-Howes.
Read more about Cyclone Nargis: Myanmar, three months on.
For media enquiries contact Roslyn Boatman
Phone: +61 419 567 777
Email: [email protected]