Myanmar Floods: Singapore Red Cross To Distribute USD100,000 In Relief Aid To Affected Communities

Singapore, 4 August 2015 – In response to the severe flooding in Myanmar, Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has pledged USD100,000 in relief items to be distributed to the affected communities. These items include food, medicine, blankets, clean drinking water and hygiene kits. A SRC team will be deployed to Myanmar later this week to distribute the supplies, working together with the Myanmar Red Cross. A SRC medical team is also on standby to be deployed if the situation calls for it.

SRC has activated its Restoring Family Links (RFL) service to assist the community in locating their immediate family members who may have been affected by the disaster and with whom they have difficulty contacting. The RFL hotline is 6664 0503.

“We remain in contact with the Myanmar Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) to closely monitor the situation in affected areas, and to explore what else we can do to support the relief efforts. The prediction is for the heavy rains and strong winds to continue over the next few days and the situation could worsen. We will do what we can to help, working with Myanmar Red Cross to provide relief to the affected communities,” said Benjamin William, Singapore Red Cross’ Secretary General/CEO.

Since the start of the floods, Myanmar Red Cross volunteers have assisted in the evacuation of affected households to temporary sites and higher ground, in conjunction with local authorities and the Government’s Relief and Resettlement Department, as well as the distribution of relief items.

According to Myanmar Government sources, as of 2 August, the floods and landslides in Myanmar have caused 46 fatalities and affected as many as 200,0000 persons. However information from the affected areas is now scarce and the number of people affected is likely to rise.