Geneva - Heavy rain forecast for the disaster-struck
Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar represented 'the worst scenario
imaginable,' said a spokesman for the International Federation of the
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Wednesday.
The International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate and
Society, based at Columbia University in New York has predicted 12
centimetres of rain during the next six days for the area worst
affected by Cyclone Nargis.
Peter Rees, head of International Federation operations support in
Geneva said: 'With large areas already flooded and with communities
already pushed to their capacities, this rain could represent the
worst scenario imaginable.'
With the soil saturated there was a real risk of further severe
flooding. He warned that this could force people to leave areas that
they thought were safe in search of new dry land, which could
complicate the relief efforts already underway.
The new rain and potential flooding could also have a severe
impact on the health of affected communities.
Uli Jaspers, who is coordinating IFRC efforts to get clean water
to cyclone survivors, said: 'We could also see more unsafe water
being forced out of sanitation facilities, which obviously increases
the already very real risk of water borne diseases such as diarrhoea
and dysentery.'
Hundreds of thousands of people were without even basic shelter.
The deteriorating weather could lead to a sharp increase in
respiratory infections such as pneumonia, especially among children,
he warned.
Heavy rain would also make access even more difficult to the worst
affected regions.
IFRC is concentrating on getting supplies into the delta region
where few international humanitarian workers have been granted
access.
On Wednesday, family kits for 10,000 people left Yangon, including
tarpaulins, pots, mosquito nets, water purification tablets and soap
to be distributed by Myanmar Red Cross volunteers.
Flights from the Red Cross Red Crescent logistical hub in Kuala
Lumpur were landing every day in Yangon, carrying additional shelter
supplies and other basic but vital relief items.
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