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Myanmar

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis Labutta Hub Update No. 1

(Reporting period 10 - 22 October 2008)

OVERVIEW & KEY DEVELOPMENTS

- The Minister of Progress of Border Areas and National Races Colonel, Thein Nyunt, who is in charge of Nargis response in Labutta, visited Labutta on 19-20 October. The Minister met with national staff members of all UN agencies and L/INGOs on 20 October. Each organization gave briefing on their activities and areas of operation. The Minister assured that all agencies staff, national and international, can access anywhere. He also stated that informing local authorities on each organization's activity would help coordinate with line government departments.

- Although Labutta's administrative boundary has been changed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, line departments are still working under the previous demarcations. For instance, Middle Island is now under Labutta township administration, but health, education and other government departments are still under Nga Pu Daw township administration, requiring coordination and consideration with local authorities for cyclone assistance.

- UNDP Recovery Advisor, who is facilitating the PONREPP, visited Kyar Kan Su village in Koke Ko village tract and met with key organizations engaging in Livelihood and Recovery sectors on 18 October. UN agencies and L/INGOs welcomed this timely visit and provided inputs and feedback on recovery issues.

- The Deputy Head of Department of Health, Ayeyarwady Division, the Strategic Commander, convened separate meetings with humanitarian agencies in Labutta and requested their support to address water shortage problem. OCHA, on behalf of humanitarian agencies in Labutta, conveyed to the Strategic Commander that the WASH Cluster is working on it seriously and some measures have already been launched. The Strategic Commander also asked to help the logistic and necessary expertise to install the 3 RO water treatment plants donated by Mercy Relief, Singapore. The advice of the WASH cluster in Yangon is urgently need to resolve this bottleneck.

- Myanmar Bamar Emergency Aid Network (MBEAN), a local NGO, has set up its field office in Labutta and started livelihood activities. FXB, an international NGO, also arrived in Labutta and launched woman livelihood program in 3 villages.

SECTORAL UPDATE

Seven clusters are active in the Labutta hub: Agriculture and Livelihoods (chair UNDP), WASH (Chair UNICEF), Education (Chair UNICEF), Nutrition (Chair UNICEF), Child Protection (UNICEF), Shelter (Chair UNHCR), Health (Chair WHO and Merlin) and Food (Chair WFP).

AGRICULTURE & LIVELIHOODS

- UNDP distributed 3,000 bags of fertilizer in first round. For the second round, 2,699 bags have been already distributed and 344 bags are in stock.

- ACTED has covered eight village tracts with the population of 10,000 in general and 2,000 vulnerable people in particular, by providing vegetable seeds with training on how to plant. They also provided 1,200 fishing nets to Yway, Thingangyi and Hsin Chay Yar village tracts.

- On behalf of the government, LVBD distributed 893 cattle, and 717 poultry in 34 village tracts.

- The Department of Fishery provided 4,903 fishing boats with 5,290 nets in 56 village tracts covering 500 villages.

- MBEAN provided 120 piglets, 20 boats, four sewing machines and helped to re-establish the small stores in seven villages in Sa Lu Seik village tract.

- MAS (Myanmar Agriculture Service) provided 679,103.5 baskets of rice seeds (46lbs/basket) and organic fertilizer (23,579 bags), insecticide (2,792 litres), 170 water pumps and vegetable seeds among the 52 village tracts.

- UNDP provided 40,000 kyats per household to people in 70 the most severely damaged villages as well as cash for work, skeleton shelters, distributed rice seeds provided by FAO and food by WFP in 84 villages. They also distributed household kits and midwife kits in 70 villages.

EARLY RECOVERY

- ACTED will help in small scale business through building fishing boats with cash grants and trainings.

- UNDP will establish Early Recovery Committees and Self-Reliance Groups in villages, through which 347 million kyats will be used for livelihood program. 60% of the fund will be used for landless farmers to re-establish their small businesses. The funds must be repaid to the revolving funds of the communities.

HEALTH

- 4 Dengue cases have been reported in No. 2 Ward of Labutta Town proper.

- Abate campaign will be conducted on 26 October among all 10 wards in Labutta township.

WASH

- The comprehensive WASH assessment could not finish as initially planned. WHO informed that all Basic Health Staffs have been busy with the immunization activities throughout the Township. The assessment will be finished by the end of October.

- All military, District and Township authority are focusing on the installation of the 3 RO water treatment plants in southern part of the Township.

- The Clean-Up Day for Labutta was launched on 18 October. All UN, L/INGOs, government departments and services and the police force, with a total of 200 people, participated in the activity. The clean up activity will be carried out on every Saturday. Hospital compound should be included in the future.

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