Cyclone in Burma / China Earthquake

Both Shelterbox and our own Aquabox are actively supporting the situation in Burma. For up to date information please refer to their websites.

June 10th 2008

Dear all

As you are well aware, the work goes on in both Myanmar (Burma), and China, to deliver aid to the victims of these disasters. We have seen nothing like this devastation, since the massive Tsunami some 4+ years ago. News from the frontline of these disasters reaches us daily, through the various media mediums. Summaries below indicate the situation as it is today;

MYANMAR CYCLONE: Myanmar's military government denies it is evicting survivors of Cyclone Nargis from relief camps, saying it is working on a voluntary resettlement programme. More than a month after the storm, which left 134,000 people dead, or missing, and another 2.4 million destitute, many survivors have not yet been reached, and Western nations, and foreign aid groups, say the relief effort is being hampered by the country's military rulers. U.N. newsagency IRIN, reports that survivors will need food and assistance for up to a year. The U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes, has defended the policy of working with Myanmar's military government, after last month's cyclone, saying that trying to deliver aid by force would not have helped the victims. Holmes said he believed the cooperation set up with the reclusive junta, could ultimately assist international efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar.

CHINA EARTHQUAKE: Nearly a month after China's earthquake, that officially killed nearly 70,000, with many still missing and likely dead, the problems of how to pick up the pieces of shattered lives, loom over millions of survivors. Chinese officials have sent condolences, and payments to parents of children, killed in a school that crumpled in the country's huge earthquake, seeking to defuse outrage over shoddy buildings, and claimed corruption. Chinese troops are meanwhile carving a third drainage channel into an unstable dam, holding back a big "quake lake", as water levels rise, and aftershocks send more debris tumbling into the water, state media reports. Meanwhile, China's heaviest rainstorms in 50 years have drenched parts of Guangdong province, causing widespread flooding.

Floodwaters have crashed out of a dangerously unstable "quake lake" in southwest China, after soldiers blasted open a sluice, easing the threat of another disaster for hundreds of thousands of people downstream. The muddy torrent swamped areas of the quake devastated town of Beichuan, washing away remains of corpses, family mementoes, and valuables. Meanwhile, China has sacked 15 government officials from Sichuan province, for their slow response to the earthquake, or other malpractice involving relief work. China has ordered nationwide safety checks for schools, a month after the Sichuan earthquake saw many collapse in heaps of rubble, killing thousands of children. Meanwhile, heavy rain has hit south and east China, threatening reservoirs, state media said. The rain "affected" more than 930,000 people in eastern Zhejiang province, and damaged more than 70,000 hectares (270 sq miles) of crops, Xinhua quoted local officials as saying. Meteorological authorities say Zhejiang province will face more heavy rain in two days.

Meanwhile the latest news we have from the Box Projects, indicate that AQUABOX have been successful in delivering 120 Aquabox 30's and 180 Standard Aquaboxes into Myanmar. These arrived in Yangon on, or around the 2/3 June, and were assigned to government personnel for distribution. 200 Standard Aquaboxes are being flown to China as we write, whereas I had mistakenly thought that these were already 'in country'. A further 100 boxes are being flown to Myanmar, again as we write, and will be distributed by the aid agency Humanity First. Aquabox advise that a container load of boxes will shortly be transported to a Palestinian Refugee Camp in the Lebanon, and further shipments into China are being investigated, and are likely to go via sea route.

News from SHELTERBOX indicates that 1,800 boxes have already been shipped into Myanmar. The ShelterBox Response Team delivered, and confirmed distribution, and the use of the contents of these boxes, having been distributed under really extreme conditions. ShelterBox are standing by to assist further when requested to do so, and when the timing is right. 800 Boxes were initially delivered into China, and are now in use. An additional 2000 + Tents (sent separately) have been shipped into the country, and work is ongoing to deliver these into the affected areas. The first ShelterBox Response Team was on the ground within 72 hours post earthquake, and are now back into the UK. The second team are now 'in country' and distributing boxes in the affected areas. Further input is envisaged, and is subject to funding received. Work to build up stocks, and supply aid continues. The report from WATER-SURVIVAL BOX is less encouraging, as they have been unsuccessful in delivering boxes to the affected areas. However they are optimistic that the Humanity First aid agency will take 100 boxes with their own consignment, when permission for entry into Myanmar is received. 130 boxes were sent to Birmingham for onward delivery with ShelterBoxes, but due to insufficient space, the boxes could not be loaded. ShelterBox are holding these boxes for the time being, and these boxes may go to China, due to the sensitive political situation in Myanmar. A further 500 boxes are being prepared for stock, subject to incoming funding, to be ready for any further, or additional eventuality. A copy of the Water-Survival Box latest Newsletter is attached. LIFE-BOX have indicated that they have been successful in transporting Life-Boxes into China, and these arrived on or about 1 June. The boxes are currently in the care of the ChengHua District Government, and have been earmarked to aid two towns in Pengzhou - Xinxing and Baillu, where 200 ShelterBoxes have already been distributed. A Chinese Rotarian is overseeing distribution of the Life-Boxes.

All in all these are very positive Reponses, and we can be very proud of our Box Projects, and must congratulate them, on their efforts to distribute aid under very difficult circumstances. However to continue forward, the Box Projects continue to rely on your help to fund their continuing work, to aid those who have fallen victim in these disasters.

PLEASE, PLEASE BE VERY GENEROUS IN YOUR DONATIONS TO ALL OF THE BOX PROJECTS, FOR YOUR GIFT THROUGH THESE BOXES, AIDS FAMILIES WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THESE DISASTERS. AID IS ONGOING, AND IT WILL TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, AND EFFORT, FOR THESE VICTIMS TO GET THEIR LIVES TOGETHER AGAIN. PLEASE DIG DEEP, AND GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE BOX PROJECT OF YOUR CHOICE.

Best Wishes
Iain
RIBI Disaster Response Coordinator
RIBI International Service Committee 2007/08

May 31st 2008

Additional items via;

• Rotary Beijing at http://rotaryclub-beijing.org/?p=182  and also

• Rotary China http://www.rotarychina.org/earthquake/earthquake.html

May 24th 2008

Dear All

The latest information received in relation to the two disasters which we are continue to see hear and read about can be summarised as follows:

a.. MYANMAR CYCLONE: U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon is seeing first hand the suffering and devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, as he tours the worst-affected Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar today. Relief teams have reached only a quarter of the victims, so while the country's officials say that the situation is under control, Ban Ki-moon is hoping to convince the junta to accept more outside help. As Myanmar requests a staggering $11 billion in aid pledges, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan warns that donor countries will be reluctant to commit money until they are allowed to assess the damage for themselves. Meanwhile, the European Union has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution urging the U.N. Security Council to consider forced aid shipments.

b.. CHINA EARTHQUAKE: The Chinese government now says that more than 80,000 are dead or missing - a figure that greatly surpasses its previous estimate of 50,000. The government is asking the international community for more aid, saying just 400,000 tents have reached the disaster zone compared with the 3 million needed. Local officials say that the most pressing need is for shelter, and are setting up make-shift camps with tents and tarpaulin. Hospitals in Sichuan have been overwhelmed by 300,000 people needing treatment, while over 5,000 health workers are visiting villages and refugee camps in a bid to stop survivors from falling ill. Meanwhile, China - which has a serious problem with corruption - has warned that it will come down hard on anyone who misappropriates aid.

RIBI BOX PROJECTS PROGRESS: ShelterBox have now transported some 1700 Boxes (1900 Tents) out to Burma and these are being distributed by Government personnel trained by the ShelterBox Response Team in Rangoon. AS with other aid agencies foreign personnel are not permitted into the disaster affected areas meantime. With the China Disaster hard on the heels of the Burmese situation, ShelterBox are reviewing both situations, and have already 2 ShelterBox Response Teams in Beijing and are likely to be in the disaster area by now. 400 ShelterBoxes were being despatched from Helston this weekend, and the requirement will be for more tents, particularly for China. China are appealing for more tents, having supplied a quarter of a million themselves. Reports indicate, that as a huge percentage of tents sold worldwide, are made in China, the demand is far outstripping the available supply, and factories in China are working flat out, night and day, to keep up with the worldwide demand.

Aquabox have made every effort possible to transport a consignment out to Myanmar, to have their hopes dashed almost daily as arrangements are cancelled at the last minute. The latest news is that 300 Boxes will be flown out on Monday 26 May, with a further consignment of a similar number to follow. Negotiations for the transportation of these is ongoing. Life-Box are despatching 100 Boxes and 1200 Lifestraws (Filtastraws) which should be in the Sichuan (China) disaster area by Monday 26 May (See attachment for Life-Box press Release). Water-Survival Box have 300+ Boxes available and continue to seek contacts for transportation of these boxes, and it is hoped that they can cooperate with the other boxes on a joint consignment.

As you can see the Box Projects, as ever, are in a state of readiness, and are already in action, but as more aid is urgently required, the Box projects can do nothing about building their stocks without funding to provide their aid to Myanmar (Burma) and China, where aid relating to Water and Shelter is a huge priority. The Box Projects require more funding if they are to continue supplying Rotary aid to reach more and more of the victims of these two massive disasters. YOUR DONATIONS ARE NEEDED NOW - PLEASE KEEP YOU DONATIONS FLOWING. ANY SIZE OF DONATION IS MOST ACCEPTABLE. The Box Projects collectively thank you for your continued support thus far, please continue your valuable support.

Best Wishes
Iain
RIBI Disaster Response Coordinator

May 16th 2008

ShelterBox has made an initial commitment of 400 boxes to assist the earthquake victims in China. Boxes will be channelled in through Hong Kong and Beijing Rotary Clubs and the China Charity Federation. The boxes are destined for Changdu City in the Sichuan Province.

Regards,
David Fish

May 13th 2008

ROTARY CLUB OF LONG EATON DAWNBREAKERS £1,000 AID FOR BURMA

At their meeting on Tuesday (13th May), members of the Rotary Club of Long Eaton Dawnbreakers unanimously agreed to send immediate survival aid totalling £1,000 to Rotary Charities to help desperate people in some of the worst hit areas of Burma following the recent cyclone. The Club are purchasing a ShelterBox and two Aqua 30 boxes from the relevant Rotary charities that will be despatched as soon as possible.

Each Shelter Box holds a 10-person tent and a range of other equipment, such as thermal blankets, insulated ground sheets and insecticide treated mosquito nets, a wood burning stove or a multi-fuel stove that can burn anything from diesel to old paint plus cooking pans, utensils, bowls and mugs. Collapsible water containers and water purification tablets are also included along with a basic tool kit (hammer, axe, saw, pliers, hoe head, trenching shovel, rope etc) and a small children’s pack containing drawing books, crayons, pens etc. The box, which costs nearly £500, has sufficient equipment to last 10 people for 6 months – working out at 27p per person per day.

Aqua 30 boxes AQUA30 comprises a rigid plastic container with approximately 75 litre capacity and 30 filter/purification kits to give a life-saving 33,000 litre clean water capability from polluted water, making it safe and pleasant to drink. 33,000 litres of water is equivalent to 150,000 cups of water.

Whilst worldwide concerns have been expressed about aid getting into Burma and through to the people affected, ShelterBox organisers reported today Tuesday that a ShelterBox Response team are on the ground who report that more than £300,000 worth of ShelterBoxes are currently being distributed with a further 1,000 humanitarian aid boxes being flown from Birmingham tomorrow (Wednesday).

Long Eaton's Dawnbreakers are also planning a bucket collection at the town's Tesco Extra store on Sunday morning.

Rotarian GRAHAM SMITH MBE

May 13th 2008

May 5th 2008

RIBI International Service Committee

URGENT NEWS BRIEF REGARDING SITUATION IN BURMA

• An estimated 10,000 people may have died following cyclone Nargis. Thousands are missing and hundreds of thousands are made homeless.
• British Red Cross has sanctioned relief totalling £30,000
• The UN aid agencies are working and the US Government is ready to help, pending approval by the Junta.
• Rotary Box organisations led by Shelter Box are mobilising resources to send relief.
• Please send your donations to the Box organisations, especially Shelter Box.
• There is no Rotary contact in Burma- so the conventional route of Rotary response and organisation of relief is non-existent
• Currently, there is no plan to organise RIBI wide response – each Club and District should act according to its own judgement. You will be notified, if the situation changes, requiring nationally co-ordinated action.

Himansu Basu - Chairman RIBI International Committee
Iain Young –Disaster Relief Coordinator
May 5,2008

May 6th 2008

Shelter Box

Myanmar (Burma): ShelterBox responds immediately to the devastating cyclone to hit Myanmar. 22,000 lives are reported to have been lost and 95% of houses are destroyed as the cyclone swept in-land after several days at sea. 224 boxes left from the pre-positioned site in Dubai over the weekend, 220 boxes have left from Melbourne, Australia and a further 200 boxes with two tents each were packed this morning at the ShelterBox HQ in Helston, Cornwall. A team of four SRT members are making arrangements to assist with the difficult distribution of vital aid.

Taken from the Shelter Box website: www.shelterbox.org