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Myanmar (Burma) Floods - one year on

Photo: Jane Beesley/Oxfam

Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar (Burma) on 3 May 2008, sweeping through the Ayeyarwady Delta leaving around 140,000 people dead or missing. Around 2.4 million people were severely affected, with the cyclone causing a level of destruction similar to the worst hit areas of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

Around 790,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. Entire villages were wiped out overnight, along with people's main means of making a living – boats, nets, crops, tools, and livestock.

One year on, Oxfam has provided emergency support through our partners within Myanmar to more than half a million people.

Oxfam's response

Working directly and with partners, our response has included a mixture of food security, water and sanitation, and emergency shelter provision. We have also been providing support to help people to recover their livelihoods, and are now working on a longer-term rehabilitation program.

Donors responded generously in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Nargis and aid has reached many people. But the impact of the cyclone on people's lives and livelihoods was enormous and it will take many years to recover.

– Claire Light, Oxfam Country Director in Myanmar

Communities are still in need of support to help rebuild livelihoods. There is also a need for disaster risk reduction measures to help prevent and limit the impact of future disasters.

Healthy homes

Working with partners we have provided emergency shelter materials to 53,000 families.

Our response has included providing material ranging from tarpaulin for emergency shelter and thatch, bamboo, wood and tools so that people can repair damaged or lost roofs, to all the material needed to build complete homes.

Besides offering shelter, this has enabled families to stay together and be in a position to start to rebuild their livelihoods.

"I can't describe the happiness I felt when we heard we were getting this shelter. Before when we were staying in the tarpaulin shelter we felt hot, we were unhappy and we couldn't earn a living. When we got this house we could start to work again and now we own our own house and that makes me feel very, very happy." – Khin Ohn, recipient of Oxfam shelter materials

Photo: Jane Beesley/Oxfam

Water and sanitation

Oxfam has been working with communities to develop ways of collecting water. This has included rehabilitating and constructing wells and ponds where needed, and developing water harvesting facilities. So far we've provided water-related support to 64,000 households.

We have been distributing water storage containers and hygiene kits to help enable people to have safer, cleaner water. More recently, we have been working with communities to rebuild latrines with new designs that are not only stronger and more resilient to flooding, but will also help prevent the spread of diarrhoea.

Our work has also included training local volunteers as public health promoters to work within their communities to improve health and hygiene.

Food security and livelihoods

In the initial months after the cyclone, Oxfam and our partners began providing assistance to help people restart earning a living so that they could at least begin to start meeting their daily needs.

We used to have a pig before, but it was killed in the cyclone. After Nargis we couldn't afford to buy one ourselves, so when Oxfam gave us these piglets we were very happy. These piglets will make us more [financially] comfortable.

– Hla Aye, recipient of two piglets from Oxfam

Rice farmers were provided with 'recovery packs' including seeds, tools, hand tillers, and fertiliser. Timely distributions meant that farmers were able to harvest some rice this year.

Nets and boats have also been distributed to fishermen and women who lost their means of making a living when the cyclone hit. Other support includes the distribution of piglets, cash-for-work programmes, and business support to people who had small businesses. So far we've given 37,000 households income generation, food and cash-for-work support.

One year on, livelihoods continue to be a major challenge. Oxfam plans to continue this vital support to people and communities affected by the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.

How you can help

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