Devasting Cyclone in Myanmar
Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, has suffered a devasting cyclone.
Monday morning at 8 am the news reported 3,000 dead. At 8:30 am the figure had jumped to 4,000. At 9 am predictions of 10,000 dead were being announced.
Now I am reading that at least 15,000 people are dead and 30,000 missing.
This is a closed society and must open its borders to allow rescue efforts to take place. As I watched some of the soldiers using a chain saw it was apparent to me they didn’t know how to properly work it as they were trying to saw a normal-sized limb from a tree by moving the chain saw back and forth instead of holding it steady and allowing it to do its work.
Rescue workers need to get in to clean up the water, provide doctors and medical attention, food and temporary housing for those who have survived.
A military transport plane was scheduled to land in Yangon later Tuesday with emergency aid from Thailand while a number of other countries and organizations said they were prepared to follow.
The United States, which has slapped economic sanctions on the country, said it likewise stood ready. The U.S. Embassy is providing $250,000 in immediate aid from existing emergency fund. But First Lady Laura Bush said Monday the U.S. would provide further aid only if one of its own disaster teams is allowed into the country.
The storm has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and without clean drinking water, said Richard Horsey, a spokesman in Bangkok, Thailand, for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
We must get help into that country. If, like me, you have no useful skills to offer then get in touch with the Red Cross or charity of your choice to give them a donation to help these people as soon as possible before disease kills even more pe
Written by ~J~
