Ten of thousands of cyclone survivors in Myanmar remain homeless – UN

More than 100,000 people remain homeless in Myanmar following the cyclone that struck the country last month, and many more residents of the affected area lost crops and livelihoods, the United Nations humanitarian office reported today, adding that relief efforts are being hampered by logistical constraints.

Cyclone Giri, which made landfall in Myanmar on 22 October, destroyed at least 20,380 homes, as the accompanying torrential rainfall caused floods that inundated some 17,500 acres of crops and washed away nearly 50,000 acres of fish and shrimp breeding ponds, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). At least 45 people lost their lives.

Assistance is being delivered by all humanitarian partners, including the Government and local authorities, UN agencies and non-governmental organisations. The first round of food distribution is expected to be completed by 20 November, with more than 1.3 tonnes of food distributed to nearly 200,000 of those affected.

In Myebon, the western township most affected by the cyclone, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has facilitated the transportation of donated medical supplies to rural health facilities.

Emergency shelter kits are required to assist those who remain homeless, but distribution has been challenging due to difficult topography, the remoteness of the affected area and poor or damaged infrastructure, OCHA said.