Cyclone Nargis has claimed up to 22,000 lives in Burma, with the number of dead possibly rising to 50,000 according to reports from Oxfam.
The cyclone swept the country with winds as high as 160mph, pulling down trees and phone cables, whilst destroying most buildings in its path.
Burma has declared five regions, including the main city Rangoon, home to most of its expatriate aid workers, to be disaster areas. Towns close to Rangoon have almost no houses remaining, with people living in the open without clean water, power or food. Along with extensive damage to the mainland, over 20,000 homes have been destroyed on the island of Haing-gyi, with up to 90,000 people made homeless.
The worst hit areas are in the Irrawaddy Delta region, which also happens to be one of Burma’s poorest. Alongside the massive death toll comes the huge amount of damage to food supplies and crops. Rice prices across the globe have been increasing over the last 12 months, causing severe strain on poorer nations. With millions of gallons of salt water flooding the rice paddies, Burma’s food economy and population may have to become importers of rice, something they cannot afford.
Immediate need for shelter, food and water is vital. In the cyclone-hit areas, communications are down and roads have been washed away, making it difficult to reach those who most need help. Oxfam is part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), who are co-coordinating an emergency appeal to fund work across Burma in providing cash support and technical expertise. All donations will support the major effort that is urgently needed to meet the needs of this devastated country.
