12th day for TSF waiting to deploy to Burma following the deadly passage of category 3 cyclone Nargis on May 2nd. A team is still on stand-by and ready to deploy from TSF's Asian base in Bangkok. According to the latest reports 100,000 people may have been killed and over 1.5 million Burmese have been left homeless, particularly in the regions of Irrawaddy and Rangoon.

Coming from the Bengal Gulf, the cyclone made landfall late Friday night on the Southern West coast, with winds reaching 240 km/h. Nargis followed its path toward the East, causing intensive damage in Rangoon, the major city of the country.

Electricity and communications have been cut off and the military-based government has declared a state of emergency in 5 regions: Rangoon, Irrawaddy, Pegu, Mon and Karen states.

International organizations are mobilized to support the victims but many, such as TSF, are still waiting for visas; TSF and its regional office in Bangkok are closely monitoring the situation, ready to deploy as soon as the government authorizes.

Also, Télécoms Sans Frontières, through its partner the United Nations, made an offer of assistance to China following the terrible earthquake which struck the country on Monday 12 May. According to the latest toll issued by the Chinese government, almost 15 000 have been killed and nearly 25 000 are missing or trapped under collapsed buildings. Communications infrastructures have been seriously damaged.