The cyclone death toll soared above 22,000 on Tuesday and more than 41,000 others were missing as foreign countries mobilized to rush in aid after the country's deadliest storm on record, state radio reported.
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Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis hit the Southeast Asian nation, also known as Burma, early Saturday. Some villages have been almost totally eradicated and vast rice-growing areas are wiped out, the World Food Program said.
Images from state television showed large trees and electricity poles sprawled across roads and roofless houses ringed by large sheets of water in the Irrawaddy River delta region, which is regarded as Myanmar's rice bowl.
"From the reports we are getting, entire villages have been flattened and the final death toll may be huge," Mac Pieczowski, who heads the International Organization for Migration office in Yangon, said in a statement...
I've received some inquiries regarding offers of on the ground assistance. At this point, the best advice I can offer is to contact one of the following agencies in Thailand:
UNICEF
19 Phra Atit Road
Chanasongkram, Phra Nakorn
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: (66) (2) 3569499 / 2805931
email: thailandao@unicef.org
International Red Cross
Tel: (66) (2) 2510424 / 2515245 / 2512947
Fax: (66) (2) 2553064
E-Mail: bangkok.ban@icrc.org
As I learn more, or other agencies contact me, I'll post more information.
Update: I've been informed that the previous email address for the ICRC in Thailand was incorrect. It's been corrected.
1 comment:
UNICEF's lead in country for Rangoon is Terence Kadoe and he is reachable via e-mail to tkadoe AT unicef.org and for Bangkok, Roberto Saltori is available on +66 2356 9237 or e-mail him to rsaltori AT unicef.org
On Red Cross and IRFC, contact details are:
Myanmar Red Cross Society
phone: +95 1 383680; fax: +95 1 383675, email: mrcshsec AT redcross.org.mm
Federation country office in Myanmar: Bridget Gardner, head of country office
phone: +95 95130564; fax: +95 1 682588; email: ifrcmm01 AT redcross.org.mm
For mobilization of relief items: Jeremy Francis, regional logistics coordinator
phone: +60 12298 9752, fax: +60 3 2168 8573, email: jeremy.francis AT ifrc.org
Cheers!
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