News Details

 

Myanmar/Burma Cyclone

According to the Reuters, an estimated 2.4 million people were made destitute by the May 2 cyclone. It was estimated that nearly 134,000 were dead or missing. It has been more almost 3 weeks since cyclone Nargis ravaged the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar, still known as Burma to much of the world. Myanmar’s military government had finally agreed on Friday to allow international aid workers into the delta area, after an initial reluctance to grant visas to foreign relief experts.

Not only human lives were lost, but also animal lives, rice stocks, and planting seeds. Thousands and thousands of water buffalos were killed. This is a major disruption to farmers, as this time of the year is normally when farmers start sowing seeds. It is anticipated that Burmese farmers will miss their harvest for this year, and thus their food supplies.

The situation got worse as there had been torrential tropical downpours lashed Myanmar's cyclone-hit Irrawaddy delta on Friday. Thousands of men, women and children stood in the mud and rain to wait for the limited aid flowing in.

More on the development in Myanmar: Burma 'to let in all aid workers' ,Reuters’ Special Coverage, Burma cyclone in video, More rain deepens misery in cyclone-hit Myanmar, Myanmar Farmers May Miss Harvest, Some Myanmar Aid Reportedly Stolen

Earthquake in Sichuan, China

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake, the worst to hit China in 30 years, hit the southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday May 12. According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, the latest confirmed death toll in the Sichuan province rose to 55,740, as of Friday May 23. Another 292,481 people were injured and 24,960 still missing. Officials said, with the increasing number of deaths and the summer approaching fast, the quake disaster regions are facing mounting pressure to prevent epidemics.

The number of casualties was expected to rise due to the remoteness of the areas affected by the quake and difficulty in finding buried victims. Officials said that there was little prospect that many survivors would be found under the rubble.

Texas A&M student Heather Rauch was in Chengdu, Sichuan (about 37 miles from the epicenter) during the earthquake.  She is fine.  She did an interview with Good Morning America about the experience.  Please note that she was described in the interview as a student from California because she was enrolled in a California based independent program, which ended in Shanghai last week.  She was travelling for vacation post program and was in Chengdu during the quake.  The interview can be viewed here.

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) at Texas A&M University is calling for donations for this cause. Please click here for details.

More news on the earthquake: Factbox from Reuters ,Xinhua (for latest official updates), China earthquake in video, In pictures: China's grief, Quake Toll Up in China as Soldiers Reach Epicenter ,

 

How You Can Help

To support disaster relief in Myanmar or China, you could contact one of the following organizations:

UNICEF

World Vision

Oxfam

Red Cross

Direct Relief International

UN World Food Program

The donation drive on Texas A&M campus

The Institute for Pacific Asia believes the organizations listed above have experience in disaster relief , and are therefore likely to be able to assist during this crisis. The list is by no means complete and the inclusion of an organization is neither an endorsement nor a guarantee that donations will be utilized effectively. Donors are urged to use their best judgment when deciding to contribute.

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), the International Programs for Students (IPS) and the Confucius Institute at Texas A&M University (CI) are co-hosting a candlelight memorial and donation drive to help the earthquake victims in Sichuan, China on May 17 (Saturday) at 7:30 p.m. at the Rudder Fountain.

Candle-light Memorial for Earthquake Victims in Sichuan at Texas A &M on May 17