Red Cross response to the cyclone Nargis in Myanmar

By Bridget Gardner, International Federation's head of delegation in Myanmar.

On 2 May 2008 tropical cyclone Nargis hit the coast of Myanmar and devastated large parts of the low-lying Irrawaddy delta. Winds exceeding 190 kilometres per hour ripped through the Myanmar's biggest city Yangon for more than ten hours. Homes were flattened, more sturdy structures damaged, trees uprooted and power lines downed. In rural parts of the country up to 95 per cent of homes were wiped off the face of the earth.

This is a situation that the country has not dealt with before and the scale of the needs is clearly massive. Casualty figures continue to rise. The International Federation estimates that more than two million people have lost their homes or been severely affected.

Bridget Gardner has been the International Federation's head of delegation in Myanmar since January 2006. Bridget has extensive Red Cross Red Crescent experience. Prior to taking on the role in Myanmar, she worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva and with the International Federation in Laos and the Solomon Islands.

More information: http://www.ifrc.org/myanmar

Red Cross Red Crescent emergency appeal for Myanmar: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/08/MDRMM002revEA.pdf

Donate: http://donate.ifrc.org/

Year: 2008
Duration: 4 minutes 9 seconds

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Red
• Cross
• International
• Crescent
• IFRC
• Disaster
• Relief
• Preparedness
• Health
• Humanitarian
• Assistance
• Volunteers
• Humanity

[shuvankr]

Hi, it is 2009 now and it seems burma is getting unusual high rainfall now ( From sat. pictures). Although its monsoon time, but for last 9 to 15 days, coastal burma must have received huge rain and many areas looks like they are flooded.

Is every thing ok down there?

[KoryuKusanagi008]

nice