Nearly 1 million affected and 100 dead due to Myanmar floods where insurance is lacking
Those affected by the flooding in Myanmar has approached 1 million and rising, with 100 now confirmed dead.  United Nations has pledged $9m, and CAFOD are looking at providing clean water and sanitation to the 40,000 people at high risk of disease.  Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Asia, and insurance is scarce in most areas.  In fact, it was reported this week that construction firms in Myanmar are starting projects without the appropriate insurance cover.  However, there appear to be signs of progress with the announcement yesterday that Swiss Re is working with the government to initiate a crop insurance system since at present Myanmar's farmers have no protection from loss of crops.  Around 210,000 hectares of fields have been destroyed so far from the floods and Myanmar's rice exports for 2015 will be affected.
CAFOD’s partners are providing clean water and sanitation to 40,000 people at risk of disease after devastating floods in Myanmar.

Heavy monsoon rains and a major cyclone have brought widespread flooding to Myanmar, affecting nearly a million people, according to the country’s government. At least 100 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been driven from their homes. In many areas, clean water sources - like wells, ponds and springs - have been contaminated, leaving communities at risk of waterborne disease.

Giovanna Reda, CAFOD’s Head of Humanitarian Programmes in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, said: “Myanmar is hit by monsoon rains every year, but this year has seen some of the worst flooding for decades. Even as people return to their villages, they could face a second disaster because their water sources have been inundated.

“In the areas where our partner works, there have already been reports of diarrhoea, skin diseases and eye infections, because people are drinking and washing in dirty water. If we don’t act now, there is a major risk of a public health epidemic.”

CAFOD is working with its partner Network Activities Group (NAG) to provide clean water to 40,000 people across 50 communities, as well as distributing hygiene kits and promoting safe sanitation. Because all the targeted communities are cut off by flooding or by damaged roads, NAG has chartered boats to deliver supplies.

With crops and food stocks washed away, CAFOD and NAG are also providing small grants to ensure that 20,000 people who lost everything can buy food over the coming weeks.

Giovanna Reda said: “Across the country, more than 1.2 million acres of rice fields have been washed away, and many families have also lost their livestock. In the short term, they have no food and no means of supporting themselves. Giving families just £8 could make all the difference in ensuring they can buy food over the coming month.

“We are specifically targeting the most vulnerable groups, including older people, disabled people, and women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. It will take communities months or even years to recover from this disaster, but our immediate priority is to ensure that they survive the next few weeks.”

CAFOD is also providing technical advice to its Church partner Caritas Myanmar as they launch their response to the floods.

Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Asia, which is slowly emerging from decades of military rule. The country has a population roughly equal to that of England and Wales combined, yet one in three live below the poverty line.

CAFOD has been working in Myanmar since 1993, alongside Church partners and other organisations. As well as responding to disasters, CAFOD helps communities prepare for emergencies, supports people living with HIV and AIDS, and promotes peace and reconciliation.

NOTES:

CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. It works with communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to fight poverty and injustice. The agency works with people in need regardless of race, gender, religion or nationality. CAFOD’s response to the floods is supported by a £163,000 grant from the START fund, which launched in 2014 with contributions from the UK Department for International Development and Irish Aid. The Fund is designed to fill gaps in emergency funding following a step-change or escalation in humanitarian needs. More information here: http://www.start-network.org/how/start-fund/#.Vcidw03bLcs Thanks to donations from Catholics in England and Wales, CAFOD is also responding to a wide range of other humanitarian emergencies around the world, including the Nepal earthquake, the Ebola crisis in west Africa, the Syria crisis, typhoons in the Philippines, and food shortages caused by conflict in South Sudan.

Nick Harrop

World News Officer

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