The government said Thursday that the official death toll from the May 2-3 cyclone had climbed by almost 5,000 to 43,318. The number of missing has remained at 27,838 for at least two days.
But the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimated the death toll was between 68,833 and 127,990. The U.N. says more than 100,000 may have died.
The U.N. and the Red Cross say between 1.6 and 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter. Only 270,000 have been reached so far by the aid groups.
Tons of foreign aid including water, blankets, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, medicines and tents have been sent to Myanmar, but its delivery has been slowed down because of bottlenecks, poor infrastructure and bureaucratic tangles.
The junta insists on taking control of the distribution. It has allowed the U.N. and some other agencies to hand out the aid directly but prohibited their few foreign staff allowed into Myanmar from leaving Yangon, the country's main city.
Police have turned back foreigners from checkpoints at the city's exits.
The government said Thursday that the official death toll from the May 2-3 cyclone had climbed by almost 5,000 to 43,318. The number of missing has remained at 27,838 for at least two days.
But the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimated the death toll was between 68,833 and 127,990. The U.N. says more than 100,000 may have died.
The U.N. and the Red Cross say between 1.6 and 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter. Only 270,000 have been reached so far by the aid groups.
Tons of foreign aid including water, blankets, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, medicines and tents have been sent to Myanmar, but its delivery has been slowed down because of bottlenecks, poor infrastructure and bureaucratic tangles.
The junta insists on taking control of the distribution. It has allowed the U.N. and some other agencies to hand out the aid directly but prohibited their few foreign staff allowed into Myanmar from leaving Yangon, the country's main city.
Police have turned back foreigners from checkpoints at the city's exits.
Very soon now, disease will begin to ravage the suriviors as the tens of thousands of dead bodies become a breeding ground for all kinds of ailments. And with no food distribution to flooded towns and hamlets, those people are going to begin to starve to death with the weakest among them - the very young and very old - unable to survive.
Apparently, some in the government may be cashing in on the relief bonanza:
Myanmar's junta warned Thursday that legal action would be taken against people who trade or hoard international aid as the cyclone's death toll soared above 43,000.
It was the first acknowledgment by the military government, albeit indirectly, of problems with relief operations in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.
The warning came amid reports that foreign aid was being sold openly in markets, and that the military was pilfering and diverting aid for its own use
The ruling junta has been blasted by aid agencies for refusing to allow most foreign experts into the hard-hit Irrawaddy delta and not responding adequately to what they say is a spiraling crisis.
Relief workers reported that some storm survivors were being given spoiled or poor-quality food rather than nutrition-rich biscuits sent by international donors, adding to fears that the ruling military junta in the Southeast Asian country could be misappropriating assistance.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement Wednesday that it had confirmed an Associated Press report that the military had seized high-energy biscuits that came from abroad, and distributed low-quality, locally produced biscuits to survivors.
Comments
This is one of the most appalling things I have ever seen in my life. I can't imagine such a horror, and especially one that is perpetrated by a government. And the UN sits and pontificated and ultimately does nothing.
Posted by: Ellen | May 15, 2008 12:52 PM
You wrote: "Very soon now, disease will begin to ravage the suriviors as the tens of thousands of dead bodies become a breeding ground for all kinds of ailments."
This is a very common and understandable belief. But in most natural disasters, it isn't true (See citations below). The understandable rush to bury or burn the dead can use up valuable human and material resources (like fuel) which are needed more to help the living.
Burials of unidentified bodies in mass graves also causes additional anguish and heartache for their surviving family members.
In the Myanmar situation, there may be more than usual reason to deal quickly with dead bodies: It is crucial to remove them from water that is used for drinking. Contamination of drinking water from dead bodies (like sewage from the living) can cause illness.
But it is not technically necessary to rush to bury the dead which are on land. It is emotionally compelling to do so -- but there are other ways to "manage" these bodies than to use scarce resources for cremation or burial, in the early days of a rescue and recovery effort.
List of Guidelines for Health Emergencies -- see section on dead bodies
http://www.searo.who.int/en/Section1257/Section2263/Section2310_12249.htm#deadbodies
Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters
http://publications.paho.org/english/dead_bodies.pdf
Fears of Dead Bodies Are Unfounded
http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PIN/pr041229.htm
Talking about dead bodies: Risk communication after a catastrophe
http://www.psandman.com/col/tsunami2.htm
Posted by: Jody | May 15, 2008 10:08 PM