UN appeal for Myanmar's cyclone victims 50 per cent unfunded

Yangon - The United Nations' flash appeal for the survivors of Cyclone Nargis remains 50 per cent unfunded, five months after the disaster, the group managing the relief effort disclosed Tuesday. 'Total contribution now stands at 240 million dollars out of the 482 million required. Agriculture and early recovery continue to be the least-funded sectors,' a statement issued by the Tripartite Core Group said. The group, which has handled relief efforts for Cyclone Nargis victims since June, comprises representatives from the Myanmar government, UN agencies and the Association of South-East Asian Nations. The tripartite mechanism was established to speed up an international relief effort for the victims of Cyclone Nargis which smashed into Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta region on May 2-3, leaving 140,000 people dead or missing and another 2.4 million in desperate need of food, water, medicines and shelter. The effort initially ran into logistical bottlenecks, caused primarily by Myanmar's ruling junta's reluctance to grant travel visas to international aid workers to enter the reclusive country and other restrictive measures that slowed the flow of aid. The aid flow increased significantly after the establishment of the tripartite group, but the international community has been slow to respond to the UN's appeal for aid. Over the past five months more than 33,000 metric tons of food have reached over 733,000 people affected by the cyclone, the statement said. Relief workers have also prevented outbreaks of diseases in the cyclone affected areas, but much still needs to be done. 'People and communities have been severely affected. It will take a long time until the needs are met,' said UN resident coordinator Bishow Parajuli, who called on the international community not to forget the cyclone survivors. The UN expressed concerns of possible water scarcity in the coming dry season, due to increased salinity of pond water after the cyclone and below-average rainfall. The statement also noted the need for durable and sustainable shelter that could withstand the weather conditions in the affected areas.