Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has launched a month-long appeal for funds to aid communities affected by the floods in Myanmar, following needs assessment from its advance team, which was on ground from 6 to 8 August. The Singapore Government had pledged USD100,000 to kickstart the public appeal.
During the three-day mission, SRC’s advance team distributed relief items, including sandbags, rice grains, cooking oil and drinking water to affected communities in Nyuang Tone Township, Ayeryarwaddy Region, as well as temporary shelters in Tike Kyi Township, Yangon Region that also held patients from an affected hospital. Additionally, the team joined the Myanmar Red Cross on boat to evacuate villagers who were still stranded. Needs assessment from the team indicate that relief items such as hygiene packs, water and food in these shelters were in short supply due to the unforeseen influx of affected villagers.
“It is difficult to ascertain the exact number of people who are affected immediately, especially when many of the affected communities are in areas made inaccessible by the floods. What we can expect from the worsening flash flood situation is that the number of people affected will increase exponentially,” said Mr Benjamin William, Singapore Red Cross’ Secretary General/CEO, recounting the instance of a camp visited by the SRC advance team in Tike Kyi Township, which was providing refuge for 600 villagers when it had capacity for only 200.
SRC has plans to deploy medical relief to Myanmar in anticipation of the spike in medical needs of the local community.
“With villages inundated by flood waters, we foresee the need to provide medical attention as the incidence of waterborne diseases and medical conditions such as diarrhoea and fever are expected to rise.” added Mr William.
The public appeal is on the back of an initial disbursement of USD100,000 by SRC to Myanmar Red Cross on 4 August, for relief supplies such as food, medicine, blankets, clean drinking water and hygiene kits. The Myanmar Red Cross has been focusing its efforts in the regions of Sagaing, Rakhine, Chin and Magway.
To donate
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Walk-in cash donations Please visit the Singapore Red Cross at Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486, from 9am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays. Cheque Please make your cheque payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’. On the back of the cheque, kindly indicate ‘Myanmar Flood 2015’, donor’s name, contact number and address, and post it to the above address. For enquiries, please call the Singapore Red Cross hotline at 6664 0500 from 9am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays. You can also email us at enquiry@redcross.sg. Visit our website at www.redcross.sg for more information and more donation channels. [Create another box for this] Singapore Red Cross efforts to date:
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