Burma Cyclone Relief
Death Toll in Burma Tops 22,000
Burma Cyclone Relief Appeal
TEAR Australia has made an initial commitment of $250,000 toward the relief and rehabilitation work of our partners in Burma.
The situation:
As the official death toll has risen above 22,000, it is becoming apparent that the disaster is of far greater magnitude than initially thought. With a further 41,000 people missing, and water supplies extremely low, many more deaths are inevitable.
After sweeping through the Irrawaddy delta, Cyclone Nargis has left a nation devastated. In some towns, 95% of homes have been destroyed and 90% of the population have died. Across low-lying paddy fields and islands, families had no way to survive the massive waves of seven metres and winds of 190 kilometres per hour. The delta contains the most productive land in the country, producing the bulk of rice for Burma's population. Most of these crops will have been destroyed.
There are no electricity, water or communications services in the Yangon, the business centre of Burma. The price of food, clean water, fuel and transport has skyrocketed. Apparently, a gallon of petrol is now fetching more than US$10 - equivalent to a month's income for many. Water supplies are restricted to household wells.
World Concern Burma:
In the midst of the catastrophe, World Concern Burma - TEAR's largest partner in Burma - is getting involved. They have begun to implement their ‘first response' stage of emergency work - delivering medical and support services. As a local organisation, they have built strong relationships with communities and are experienced in the effective facilitation of development activities. The next stage of their response will be the most critical, and the one in which their primary expertise lies: in the ongoing recovery, reconstruction, rehabilitation and community development work with affected communities.
David Allan, Country Director of World Concern Burma and TEAR Australia fieldworker reports: "Very limited communications here. We are coordinating closely with rest of community. Much assessment is underway. Have initiated some first response medical teams and assessment work."
Dave Eller, World Concern's International President says: "Our staff is working around the clock to finish a needs assessment as a part of our overall response. We fully expect that our follow-up may include providing food, water, and other basic needs to those whose lives have been turned upside down by the cyclone."
The majority of TEAR Australia's Burma Cyclone Appeal will support World Concern Burma's relief and rehabilitation activities.
Fieldworkers:
TEAR supports two other Australian fieldworkers with World Concern Burma: Tamas Wells and David McClintock. Both they and their families are well, though facing water shortages and massive increases to food and fuel prices. All will be assisting with relief and rehabilitation work.
David Allan's family has been forced to find alternative accommodation, as the roof has been blown from their home.
Phil Wilkerson, a TEAR Australia program officer, is also in Yangon, liasing with World Concern Burma and other agencies.
Please pray:
- Thank God for the safety of fieldworkers and staff of partner agencies.
- Pray for access to emergency supplies, including food, water purification, shelter, clothing and household goods, particularly considering that prices are skyrocketing and transport is extremely disrupted.
- Pray for the ongoing health and safety of staff and volunteers who will face dangerous and difficult work distributing emergency supplies.
- Pray for communities who have lost their loved ones, homes, possessions and next season's harvest.
- Pray that essential services, particularly electricity and water supplies, will be restored.
- Please pray for David Allan's family as they have relocated to alternative safe accommodation.
Should this appeal be oversubscribed, funds will be allocated to ongoing rehabilitation and community development with partners mentioned in this flyer, or to similar project work.
Related Countries:
Related TEAR Partners:
TEAR Reps
TEAR Representatives are a vital link between TEAR's work overseas and our supporters in Australia.
