Myanmar• Cyclonic Storm GIRI
Situation Report # 2
24 October 2010
This report was issued by OCHA Myanmar. It covers the period from 23 to 24 October. The next report will be
issued on or around 25 October.
I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES
• The Myanmar Meteorology and Hydrology Department reports that the storm has weakened into a
tropical depression. Tropical Storm Risk has removed cyclone GIRI from its tracking system since it
weakened.
• The Myanmar Red Cross Society is conducting assessments in seven affected townships of
Rakhine State. Preliminary results in Kyaupyu indicate that at least 4,500 people have been
affected, while at least 700 people have been affected in Munaung Township (an island off the
coast of Rakhine State).
• A donation centre has been established by the Government of the Union of Myanmar at the Fire
Service Department in Yangon. Various national NGOs and private donors have already
contributed rice and other relief items.
II. Situation Overview
Situation as at 24 October
Cyclone Giri made landfall in Rakhine State on 22 October, close to the town of Kyaukpyu. According to
Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) and the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS), the storm had
developed into a category 4 cyclone by the time it made landfall, but quickly weakened to category 2
thereafter. The Myanmar Meteorology and Hydrology Department reports on 24 October that the storm has
weakened into a tropical depression. Tropical Storm Risk has removed cyclone GIRI from its tracking system
since it weakened.
Ahead of the cyclone reaching the coast, the Government of the Union of Myanmar had issued warnings to
the population living in areas that could be affected by the heavy rains and powerful winds and organized the
evacuation of a number of people to higher areas. The Red Cross, United Nations and Non-Governmental
Organisations have mobilized their staff to respond. Partners present in the immediate surroundings of the
The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and
principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
affected area have deployed assessment teams to Kyaukpyu and Ann and the closest areas to assess the
damage.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement immediately made contact with the humanitarian
community and the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and has welcomed support.
Kyaukpyu Township is situated on the western coast of Rakhine State and has an estimated population of
209,000 people. Communications with Kyaukpyu had been severed and remain difficult at the time of
reproting. Kyaukpyu’s hospital is severely damaged according to the Government’s Health Authorities
Organisations mobilizing for the response include the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), Action Contre la
Faim (ACF), Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) Holland, Malteser, UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR and UNDP, among
others. Various local NGOs have already sent teams to the area to provide food and NFIs, in particular.
III. Humanitarian Needs and Response
Organizations mobilizing stocks or already responding to the emergency are encouraged to contact OCHA to
compile/share information to ensure a coordinated response. OCHA encourages agencies on the ground to
use the Inter Agency Rapid Assessment Form (IRA), available in the Myanmar Contingency Plan.
The Red Cross has been conducting assessments in the areas affected and is planning to cover seven
townships in Rakhine State through this exercise (Kyaukpyu, Sittwe, Munaung, Myebon, Pauktaw, Minbya).
Information is so far available for Kyaukpyu Township, where at least 4,500 people (1,100 households) in five
(5) villages are reported to have been affected, while one death is reported to date. In Munaung Township (an
island situated off the coast of Rakhine State), 700 people have been affected by the cyclone. Data is not yet
available for the other five (5) townships.
For Magway Division, the Red Cross reports 44 people (10 households) affected in Pwintbyu Township.
In Sagaing Division, the Red Cross reports that 2,055 people (341 households) have been affected in 15
villages of Sagaing Township.
Six Myanmar NGO representatives (Myanmar Health Assistant Association, Rakhine Conservation
Association, Social Vision Services, Network Action Group, Myanmar Heart Development Organisation, Swe
Tha Ha) are currently raising funds to provide emergency food asssitance for up to 5,000 affected people for
one week in Kyaukpyu township. The assistance will be provided in collaboration with the Relief and
Resettlement Department (RRD) of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. Several additional
local NGOs have already sent teams to the area to provide food and NFIs, in particular.
A donation centre has been established by the Government of the Union of Myanmar at the Fire Service
Department in Yangon. Various national NGOs and private donors have already contributed rice and other
relief items.
Local organisations wanting to assist the population in the affected area are requested to contact RRD in
Yangon. A boat provided by the authorities in Yangon for the transport of relief supplies remains available.
Five (5) small boats have been mobilized in Northern Rakhine State by UNHCR, WFP and UNDP to support
the efforts of the Government and the humanitarian community.
IRC has offered the support of staff specialized in WASH, livelihoods and health to contribute to assessments.
Those staff are located in Sittwe and Buthidaung,
IV. Coordination
On 23 October several meetings were held in Yangon and in the field to coordinate the response and
assessments in the affected areas. The UN, international NGOs, local NGOs and the Red Cross are
mobilized.
The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective
and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
2
The next coordination meeting of local and international NGOs and UN agencies will be held in Yangon on
Monday, 25 October.
The Myanmar Information Management Unit has uploaded new Township planning maps for Rakhine State
which can be found on www.themimu.info/hotml/maps/rakhine.html
OCHA has compiled information on stockpiles which organisations are ready to deploy to the affected
regions. A summary table is attached to this Situation Report. A more detailed table is also available.
V. Funding
Funding needs will be assessed in the coming days as the priority is on mobilizing existing supplies to support
the affected populations.
VI. Contact
Please contact:
Myanmar: Thierry Delbreuve, Head of Office
delbreuve@un.org, +95 1 544 500 Ext. 801 or +95 (0) 95 11 26 52
Myanmar: Norwin Schafferer, Humanitarian Affairs Officer
Schafferer@un.org, +95 1 544 500 Ext. 808 or +95 (0) 98 61 08 48
New York: Alf Blikberg, Humanitarian Affairs Officer
blikberg@un.org, +1-917-367-0215 Room 06060-A
The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective
and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
3
Summary Table of Available Stockpiles
Contact
Sector Item Location Total Number Units
Agencies
Shelter Tarpaulins (4x5 m) Maungdaw 110
Buthidaung 580
Yangon 4,300 pcs MRCS,
UNICEF,
Kyaukphyu 480 pcs UNHCR
Sittwe 600 pcs
Thandwe 400 pcs
Shelter Kits Kyaukphyu 285 pcs
Sittwe 490 pcs
MRCS
Thandwe 200 pcs
Yangon 1,000 pcs
WatSan Bleaching Power Sittwe 15
Yangon 95 UNICEF
Yangon 183
Waterguards Yangon 30,000 UNICEF
Miscelleneous WASH items Bogale 860 pcs
Solidarites
Food High energy biscuits Yanong 2,500 UNICEF
Rice (1,251 mt) NRS 1,251
Pulses (196 mt) NRS 196
Veg Oil (115 mt) NRS 115
Salt (11 mt) NRS 11 WFP
NFIs Family Kits Sittwe 500
Yangon 1,500
Family Kit Items (clothes,
Kyaukphyu 11,555 pcs
plates, soaps, etc)
MRCS
Sittwe 7,056 pcs
Thandwe 7,500 pcs
Yangon 7,500 pcs
The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and
principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
Contact
Sector Item Location Total Number Units
Agencies
Maungdaw MRCS,
Blankets 1,612 pcs
UNHCR,
ACF, CARE
Buthidaung 470 UNHCR
Kyaukphyu 565 pcs MRCS
Sittwe 744 pcs
Thandwe 400 pcs
Yangon 2,000 pcs
Maungdaw MRCS,
Mosquito Nets 1,184
UNHCR,
ACF, CARE
Buthidaung 527 UNHCR
Kyaukphyu 270 pcs MRCS
Sittwe 200 pcs
Thandwe 500 pcs
Yangon 1,000 pcs
Kitchen Sets Kyaukphyu 290 pcs MRCS
Sittwe 411 pcs
Thandwe 200 pcs
Yangon 1,000 pcs
Maungdaw CARE,
Bowls and culinaries 6,026
UNHCR,
MRCS
Buthidaung 13,780 UNHCR
Jerrycan, foldable, 10L Kyaukphyu 500 pcs MRCS
Sittwe 744 pcs
Thandwe 400 pcs
Yangon 2,000 pcs
Hygienic Parcel for 5 persons Kyaukphyu 290 pcs
MRCS
Sittwe 411 pcs
Thandwe 200 pcs
Yangon 1010 pcs
Health IEHK, Basic Unit Yangon 173 UNICEF
First Aid Kit Yangon 13
The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective
and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
5
Contact
Sector Item Location Total Number Units
Agencies
ORS, 1000 sachet /Ctn Yangon 227
Sittwe 4
BP5 Yangon 2,544
IEHK, Basic Unit Sittwe 40
The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective
and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.