2008 May | Urban Onramps

Myanmar

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Earlier this week I attended a World Vision US board meeting. It took place in Pittsburgh with a day-long trip to Appalachia to see the programs and storehouse in that area. (Hats off to Ruston Seaman and team for preparing and executing a great vision trip.) In the course of the board meeting I heard plenty of info about the situation on the ground following the cyclone in Myanmar. It’s heart-breaking. We still don’t know the extent of those killed, missing, and displaced, because the government has been so (pick an adjective) in allowing in aid workers. It could be massive. World Vision’s web site is a good place to keep up with aid efforts. WV has been working in Myanmar for decades. At present there are over 500 staff on the ground. WV’s regional presence made a significant difference in post-Tsunami aid efforts, because WV already had over 4,000 staffers on the ground in the 11 countries most directly impacted by the Tsunami.

From the India Times:

Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar last Saturday, devastating large parts of the country. The toll, which has been estimated at over 100,000 by western diplomats, is likely to rise further as rescue workers struggle to reach remote settlements, while the nationwide number of displaced people could reach millions.