The aftermath of a Cyclone Nargis, which struck the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar early morning on Saturday, 3 May 2008, is still being felt. Considered to have been the deadliest natural disaster to have hit the country in modern history, it has, caused 78,000 deaths and 56,000 to be missing and unaccounted for. Furthermore, it has displaced over 2.5 million survivors and has completely devastated homes, fields and other vital infrastructure.

In light of this, humanitarian aid agencies from around the world are clamouring to distribute much needed relief and medical assistance to the cyclone-ravaged nation. The government has also been forced to declare a nationwide state of emergency and issue a formal appeal for international assistance in the face of this escalating humanitarian crisis. Immediate concerns in the wake of this destruction include the lack of food, clean drinking water, medical assistance, shelter, and basic infrastructure such as transportation, logistics and power. In addition, basic communication has also become virtually impossible as phone lines and cell phone towers across the country have been utterly decimated and rendered unusable.

Our on-the-ground staff reports, “The smell of rotting bodies is now present. People are becoming more angry, disillusioned and desperate. Food is scarce. People have stopped eating fish as they are finding jewelry, rings, and human body parts such as fingers in the fish. The Myanmar army has tightened its lockdown on this area [that we are in] and now locals are finding it difficult to get in and out. A strict curfew has been employed restricting the looting in the area.”

Global Aid Network (GAiN), Canada, through GAiN Australia, is responding to this urgent situation. An initial container of emergency food and supplies has already been sent on 13 May. However, further assistance is still being requested.

GAiN Australia's strategy is as follows:

1) Containers of emergency relief supplies will first be shipped from Australia to Thailand at a cost of $5,700 for each container.

2) At an additional cost of $15,000, the supplies will then be delivered by truck from Thailand, to Myanmar’s capital Yangon.

Six truckloads of supplies have already been sent in and distributed through our distribution network of volunteers.

In Myanmar, local volunteers are aiding in the distribution of supplies. As part of our aid distribution strategy, GAiN seeks to provide our on-the-ground volunteers with necessary equipment such as boots and facemasks to deal with water and odours.

Also, providing them with motorbikes ($1,800) and motorboats ($2,400), will allow them to reach currently inaccessible areas, while hastening delivery to currently assisted areas.

If you would like to partner with us to bring aid and assistance to the people of Myanmar who are victims of this disaster please contact us at either 604.514.2026, 1.877.462.GAIN or click below to give a gift.

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This page was last updated June 6, 2008