Burma Cyclone Relief

The following accounts of survivors were gathered by World Concern Burma at temporary settlements in a village about 2 hours drive southwest of Yangon. On this trip World Concern Burma's staff distributed rice, plastic sheeting, biscuits, candles, oral rehydration salts and dried noodles.

U Aye Yin's* Story

U Aye Yin, 42-years-old, was from a village which was part of Bogalay Township in Ayeyarwaddy State, roughly the second worst area hit by Nargis Cyclone. Almost 90% of the villagers died because of the disaster. He is now living in a temporary settlement camp. Even though he survived the disaster, he is still feeling afraid and being haunted by the events which took place on May 3rd. He is sure it will be a past which he can never escape from and which will always overwhelm him until the day he dies. Before the cyclone, he was living with his seven other family members in the village. But now, only three of them are left and others did not make it through the disaster. He says "Amidst the storm and rising water, I tried to pull my father, mother and younger sister. But I couldn't. All of them got dragged away with the wind and water. My life is completely ruined. Without the village and my family, life is like hell".

For now, the camp is providing him and his remaining family members with rice. But he is also hoping for a Pa-Soe (Myanmar male traditional garment) and sandals, which he still cannot get from the camp. After such an agonizing fate they have met, the villagers, including Aye Yin, are much afraid that people will abandon them and will not help them rebuild their lives. He expressed his insecurity accordingly, "Please always contact us. And help us get back to our previous lives".

*Name has been changed.

A Father's Story

A family of three was in the stormy rain with no help and hope for rescue. They were in the water, which was flowing very fast so that they could not hold out against it. The father was holding the mother's hand and the mother had wrapped her child tightly to her. They were holding on in the water a long time and the father could no longer hold on to both his wife and child. The mother pleaded with her husband to save the child and to let her go. Finally, the father took the child from the mother and let go of the mother's hand. As soon as he let her go, she flowed away with the giant water flow. There was no way that she would survive. He looked at the child. Unbelievably, he found that the child held to his chest was already dead.

U Nin Taw's* Story

A man from Ayeyarwaddy Division, Bogale Township arrived in Yangon with the rescue group. He had lost 60 of his relatives, including 14 of his immediate family as almost all of the villagers from his place were dead. Only he and his younger brother were left from the disaster. He had injuries on his body from wrapping himself tightly to the coconut tree during the storm. One of his eyes was hit by the branch of tree and he has now lost the sight of that right eye. He needed to go to the hospital for treatment and has been offered shelter in Yangon.

* Name has been changed