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MYANMAR: Salt farmers battling to rebuild livelihoods

NGA PU DAW Thursday, November 27, 2008 (IRIN) - Salt farmers across southern Myanmar are slowly returning, but still need assistance almost seven months after Cyclone Nargis struck, leaving close to 140,000 people dead or missing. The multi-million dollar industry plays a critical role in the local economy, which was devastated by the category four storm on 2 and 3 May. More than 9,712 hectares or 80 percent of all salt fields in Myanmar's badly affected Ayeyarwady Delta were affected,...

BANGLADESH: Cyclone Rashmi strikes coastal districts

DHAKA Monday, October 27, 2008 (IRIN) - Cyclone Rashmi swept across southern Bangladesh on 27 October, killing at least two people and leaving 11 missing. According to the government’s Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP), the cyclone made landfall early in the morning with wind speeds of up to 80 kph. The storm brought down electrical and telephone poles and uprooted trees; more than 40,000 people on 20 chars (river and offshore islands) in coastal Barguna District were...

CONGO: Heavy rains cause havoc, raise fears of disease outbreaks

Days of torrential rain have caused severe damage to the capital of the Republic of Congo and given rise to fears of water-borne disease. “It’s been raining for several days across the country. There is an urgent need to solve hygiene and sanitation problems,” said Minister of Health, Family and Social Affairs Emilienne Raoul. “We already have four cases of cholera in Kindamba district in the Pool region because of the rains,” she said. In northern and eastern parts of Brazzaville, the rains...

SIERRA LEONE: Dwellers refuse to leave flood-prone slums

More than 10,000 slum dwellers have been affected by an 11 September storm that tore down dozens of makeshift homes in Kroo Bay, one of the city’s largest slums, according to a government evaluation completed on 15 September. Saidu Alieu Turay, Chairman of the Kroo Bay health committee, said it was the worst flooding he had seen in the 20 years he has lived in the community. “Eighty percent of the community could not sleep in their homes that night.” He called on the government to help them...

LIBERIA: Flood relief efforts continue

Hundreds of residents along Monrovia’s coast have lost, or are still blocked from their homes nearly two months after storms started on 20 July 2008, according to relief workers. The Liberian Red Cross Society estimates flooding has affected about 1,400 people. Red Cross relief worker Pappie Toe, said efforts are still underway to assist flood victims who have been sheltering with family and friends. “We give them food as well as medicine. And another package is given to families [whose]...

Rain Storm Causes Havoc in Kombo South

Asit Renders Hundreds Homeless A heavy storm accompanied by strong wind on Tuesday nightdestroyed at least 25 houses rendering hundreds of people homeless, reportsfrom the coastal town of Gunjurand its surroundings reveal. The rains, which lasted for almost one hour, are alsoreported to have destroyed an antenna belonging to the nation’s cellular andtelecommunications companies Gamcel/Gamtel. According to reports gathered by our reporters in the area,the rains started at a time when most people...

BENIN: Half million potential flood victims: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 500,000 people are at risk of additional flooding in Benin. WHO says expected storms, the number of people living in and near recently-flooded areas, coupled with people’s unwillingness to relocate could convulse the country in more flood chaos if there is not a forced evacuation plan. Representatives from WHO’s Cotonou office, Benin’s Ministry of Hygiene, Public Health and Social Affairs, and the municipality of Cotonou, Benin’s largest city,...

SOUTHERN AFRICA: New money to mitigate disaster

In an effort to mitigate the negative impact of climate change, new funding by European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) will help bolster disaster risk reduction and community resilience in Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi and the Comoros. A statement released on 23 July said the EC had extended the scope of its disaster preparedness programme (DIPECHO) with a new allocation of €5 million (US$7.8 million) for the four southern African countries. "This is an important step in...

Rain Storm Causes Havoc in Nema Kunku

Heavy downpours of rain on Sunday flooded compounds at Nema Kunku and Jola Kunda, washing away household materials and destroying bags of rice. A number of stricken victims lamented their loss to this reporter. Amie Kolleh Jarjue-Jatta, one of the victims, said that the rains came at a time when her husband was away in Cassamance and that she lost four bags of rice following the inundation of her home. She bemoaned that personal belongings like clothes were also washed away by the rain. ...

Heavy Storm Wreaks Havoc In Niani

Reportsgathered by this reporter have it that heavy rains accompanied by strong windsover the weekend destroyed several compounds in Niani district. Among thevillages affected are Barajally Touba Kuta, Sukuta Niani, Kuntaur, Wassu,Jamagen, Jakaba, Touba Koto and Fulla Kunda.The storm,which lasted over four hours, is also said to have destroyed an Arabic schooland a Primary health post in the village of Kerr Sait Maram in theCentral River Region. Although nocasualty has been reported, our...