austraLasia #2161
First hand report from a search and recovery team in Myanmar
YANGON: 28th May 2008 -- The following information has come through direct sources but remains unidentified to protect the people involved. Nevertheless it is first hand information and provides a view, now that aid workers are being allowed to operate, of how demanding the situation is on the ground in the delta area south west of Yangon. 'Aid workers' does not always include local workers, unfortunately, who are often well-placed to act or at least to help those who permitted to act!
"From Rangoon (Yangon) it took us four and a half hours in a vehicle to reach Kamazagone... On the first day of our arrival after sharing relief items with those in the camp ( around 1200 people) our group branched out into small groups to inquire after survivors....they have more stories to tell us than time to listen to their tale of woe. In a hired motor boat we left for the remotest village on the Bay of Bengal, a parish with 29 villages which was hit the hardest by the cyclone. It took us 11 hours to reach that devastated village...they have lost all their homes, cattle, property and some of their family members. Of the 29 villages, 8 were completely destroyed - no survivors. In the main village, only three buildings were left - the rectory, Sisters' residence and a boarding house.
"Amongst the dead bodies and debris we found some wandering stray dogs and scavengers who collect whatever remains from the victims. Dead bodies, human and animal, are spread all over the place...no help from the government authority reaches there and the only way of remaining alive for the victims is the provisions that come with the rescue motorboat provided through benefactors with the Church.
"The following day we went around the village along the seashore where dead bodies were laid in the sand but exposed because they had not been buried deep enough. More than 28 were found but others remain hidden in the bushes. In the afternoon we organized a search tema to look for the body of the parish priest. He was thrown from his boat by the waves on that fatal day. We had little hope of finding him since two weeks had passed.... with much prayer and adoration by the Sisters who remained at home before the Blessed Eucharist, we began the journey with 17 people. As we passed bodies floating in the river we knew we had little hope of finding one from two weeks ago. We went for an hour an a half to the spot where his boat was wrecked. There we searched minutely under every bush. Against all odds we found his body 400 metres from the river bank....still intact. We left the body for the night and went back to make a coffin. The next day we went back in pouring rain to bring his body back to the church for proper burial. Three priests celebrated the funeral mass and buried him in the sanctuary of the new church foundation site.
"On the way back we brought nearly 100 people in need of urgent medical care. The return trip took 15 hours in rain, strong wind and waves."
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The writer then lists a range of things that can be done for victims, with help. Water wells were flooded and polluted: "we can remedy this by pumping them out. In the meantime we laid tarpaulins to collect water". Paddy fields to be drained and flushed with rain water: "we can drain sea water with drains, and some diesel pumps will help". "water-proof tarpaulins for makeshift houses. Most villagers agree to remain in their villages to rebuild them, providing they have assurance of sustaining themselves. It will be good if we can provide blankets and mosquito nets". "A motor boat for transport...small tractors for cultivation...enough food for the rainy season".
You can see how desperate the situation is. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have written this and are working to return to accomplish the kinds of actions listed here, especially now that some aid is coming through.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
Title: australasia 2161
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces MYM Cyclone recovery
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2161
First hand report from a search and recovery team in Myanmar
YANGON: 28th May 2008 -- The following information has come through direct sources but remains unidentified to protect the people involved. Nevertheless it is first hand information and provides a view, now that aid workers are being allowed to operate, of how demanding the situation is on the ground in the delta area south west of Yangon. 'Aid workers' does not always include local workers, unfortunately, who are often well-placed to act or at least to help those who permitted to act!
"From Rangoon (Yangon) it took us four and a half hours in a vehicle to reach Kamazagone... On the first day of our arrival after sharing relief items with those in the camp ( around 1200 people) our group branched out into small groups to inquire after survivors....they have more stories to tell us than time to listen to their tale of woe. In a hired motor boat we left for the remotest village on the Bay of Bengal, a parish with 29 villages which was hit the hardest by the cyclone. It took us 11 hours to reach that devastated village...they have lost all their homes, cattle, property and some of their family members. Of the 29 villages, 8 were completely destroyed - no survivors. In the main village, only three buildings were left - the rectory, Sisters' residence and a boarding house.
"Amongst the dead bodies and debris we found some wandering stray dogs and scavengers who collect whatever remains from the victims. Dead bodies, human and animal, are spread all over the place...no help from the government authority reaches there and the only way of remaining alive for the victims is the provisions that come with the rescue motorboat provided through benefactors with the Church.
"The following day we went around the village along the seashore where dead bodies were laid in the sand but exposed because they had not been buried deep enough. More than 28 were found but others remain hidden in the bushes. In the afternoon we organized a search tema to look for the body of the parish priest. He was thrown from his boat by the waves on that fatal day. We had little hope of finding him since two weeks had passed.... with much prayer and adoration by the Sisters who remained at home before the Blessed Eucharist, we began the journey with 17 people. As we passed bodies floating in the river we knew we had little hope of finding one from two weeks ago. We went for an hour an a half to the spot where his boat was wrecked. There we searched minutely under every bush. Against all odds we found his body 400 metres from the river bank....still intact. We left the body for the night and went back to make a coffin. The next day we went back in pouring rain to bring his body back to the church for proper burial. Three priests celebrated the funeral mass and buried him in the sanctuary of the new church foundation site.
"On the way back we brought nearly 100 people in need of urgent medical care. The return trip took 15 hours in rain, strong wind and waves."
------------
The writer then lists a range of things that can be done for victims, with help. Water wells were flooded and polluted: "we can remedy this by pumping them out. In the meantime we laid tarpaulins to collect water". Paddy fields to be drained and flushed with rain water: "we can drain sea water with drains, and some diesel pumps will help". "water-proof tarpaulins for makeshift houses. Most villagers agree to remain in their villages to rebuild them, providing they have assurance of sustaining themselves. It will be good if we can provide blankets and mosquito nets". "A motor boat for transport...small tractors for cultivation...enough food for the rainy season".
You can see how desperate the situation is. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have written this and are working to return to accomplish the kinds of actions listed here, especially now that some aid is coming through.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
Title: australasia 2161
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces MYM Cyclone recovery
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2161
