10.May.2008 Updates

I have just spoken to Ko Nyi Lynn Seck ('Ko' can be loosely translated as Mr).

He will be leaving to Bogalay tonight and will be there for one or two nights. The following week, he will be in Laputta, one of the worst hit areas.

Currently, 6 of them have been given permission by the local authorities to enter these areas and offer aid. There is some unrest as the cyclone victims are barely surviving. Many of them are agitated by the prevailing conditions which makes it rather dangerous for aid workers to enter.

According to NLS, there are sufficient water purification tablets for the moment. What is needed is shelters, and we will be focussing our attention on housing the survivors. Each 'camp' has about 3000 people currently, and they are inadequately housed.

Tarpaulin sheets are running scarce in Yangon, and we may have to get supplies from Mandalay (where they will be cheaper). After some discussion, we decided it was best to send cash, instead of sheets. If we sent sheets from Singapore, we would have to go through customs clearance as it will be considered a commodity.

The next batch of funds will be transferred on Monday, 12th of May. This should reach the team by Friday at the latest. I will update again with that day's exchange rate.