Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995 and is well-positioned for a response. We have ongoing programs in the Chin, Magway and Takhine states, expert staff and pre-positioned stocks of relief materials already in the country.
Heavy monsoon rains and rains from a recent cyclone have triggered severe floods, flash floods and landslides in disaster-prone Myanmar. As of today, nearly 590,000 people have been affected, of whom 200,000 are believed to be children. The government has declared states of emergency in the Magway, Rakhine, Chin and Sagaing states. Over 61,000 families have been displaced and over 15,000 homes have been damaged.
Our initial plans are to concentrate on helping to address the water, sanitation, hygiene, and educational needs of children. We will also continue to protect children from exploitation, abuse, violence and neglect. Helping families recover their incomes will also be a priority. We will work directly with children and their families, and also through partners.
Even as we scale up our rapid relief, our teams in Myanmar are planning a long-term recovery initiative to help 60,000 children and adults in the states of Magway, Chin and Rakhine rebound from this disaster. We will continue to assess conditions and adapt our responses to meet the immediate and then longer-term needs of children and their families, based on what we learn.
