Myanmar Cyclone Appeal

Cyclone Nargis

Austcare has launched an appeal to provide emergency relief to the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been devastated by Cyclone Nargis.

Donate now to Austcare's Myanmar Cyclone Appeal to provide assistance to survivors

On Saturday May 3, 190km per hour winds and 3.5 metre waves ripped through the most densely populated area of Myanmar (Burma). Already, the UN estimates that there have been 100,000 deaths, and now the threat of outbreak of diseases could mean many more.

Entire villages have been completely washed away, and it is thought that more that a million people have been severely affected. Those left homeless are still without People collect water on a street in Yangon May 6, 2008, after Cyclone Nargis slammed into Myanmar's main city on Saturday. REUTERS electricity and have very limited access to shelter, food, and water.

Austcare is providing assistance through our partner ActionAid International. Together, Austcare and ActionAid are supplying food, temporary shelter, clothing and blankets, and first aid supplies in 276 villages.

According to Shihab Ahamed, ActionAid's Project Coordinator in Myanmar, "There is complete devastation here. I couldn't even recognise the areas. In what was a green city, 80% of trees have been uprooted."

With his local team, Shihab was able to conduct an immediate needs assessment within days. He has met with local partners to determine how to best coordinate efforts in the affected areas.

Another member of ActionAid's Myanmar team, Children sit amidst the debris of their destroyed homes southwest of Yangon May 7, 2008. REUTERS Saw Lin Htet, describes a relief visit visit he made to one of the villages in lower Laputta. "The villagers ran to us with many hopes when our motor boat approached to their villages. They were really weak but they struggled to give a smile to us. They are staying in temporary huts and dead bodies are near them. We delivered two sacks of rice and some medicine. Wounded persons came to us and Naw Paw Paw Htoo (another ActionAid staff member) treated them."

Please give now to the Austcare Myanmar Cyclone Appeal to help survivors in need.

$10 could provide clean drinking water to a family of five for about 10 days
$20 could provide clothes to a family of four
$30 could provide basic medicines and health support to 50 families
$50 could provide rations to a family of five members for about 15 days
$60 could provide immediate shelter to two families
$200 could a provide permanent home for a family

Donations over $2 are tax deductible. Should the funds raised in the Myanmar Appeal exceed the amount required to fund our response to the needs of our work in Myanmar, Austcare will dedicate any excess funds to our emergency response fund to enable quick response in other emergencies.