World Vision scales up response in Myanmar

Friday, August 14, 2015

As World Vision celebrates the 40th anniversary of the 40 Hour Famine, the humanitarian agency is scaling up its response to flooding in Myanmar amid fears of looming food shortages.

More than 100 people have been killed and more than one million people have been affected by monsoon floods and landslides.

In response, World Vision has provided more than two million water purification sachets as well as working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to deliver family kits with basic essentials.

World Vision Australia’s head of Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs, Anthea Spinks, said the agency was concerned by reports from the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs that more than 1.2 million acres of farmlands had been inundated so far, with almost 700,000 acres of farmland damaged.

“With floodwaters in the northern and upper regions beginning to flow downstream, the Myanmar government expects that the number of people affected will rise,” Ms Spinks said.

“As World Vision celebrates 40 years of the 40 Hour Famine this weekend, we are thinking of those places in the world that are still confronted by food shortage.

“Those places include Myanmar, where monsoon floods are having a devastating impact on food security that will have repercussions for many months to come.”

UN OCHA has nominated food, water and sanitation services, shelter and access to emergency health care as priority humanitarian needs.
World Vision is providing technical assistance to Myanmar’s National Disaster Management Committee, which is leading the response.

http://www.worldvision.com.au/global-issues/world-emergencies/india-myanmar-flooding

Media contact: Stuart Rintoul, +61 407 241 492

About World Vision:

World Vision is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian aid and development organisations dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Founded in 1950, World Vision provides short and long-term assistance to around 100 million people in more than 90 countries throughout the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Latin America, Caribbean, Europe and Africa. We partner with communities, governments, civil society, corporates and non-government organisations to transform lives, through community development, emergency relief, policy change, advocacy and education. http://www.worldvision.com.au

Media Releases, Anthea Spinks, Flood, Myanmar

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