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BANGKOK, Thailand, May 10 /PRNewswire/ --
International Rescue Committee emergency team members have arrived in
Myanmar and four additional teams are on standby for deployment to the region
as the IRC prepares for a possible outbreak of water-borne diseases in
cyclone-ravaged villages.
"Nearly all homes were destroyed in the villages I assessed today and the
survivors have virtually no access to clean drinking water," says the IRC's
emergency coordinator, Gordon Bacon, speaking from Yangon. "With each passing
day, we come closer to a massive health disaster and a second wave of deaths
that is potentially larger than the first."
In addition to aid workers mounting relief efforts on the ground, the IRC
has medical, water, sanitation, operations and logistics experts already in
the region or ready to be dispatched to Myanmar as soon as aid corridors open
up.
The IRC has emergency stocks in Dubai ready for shipment and is procuring
cholera kits, emergency health kits and water treatment supplies to position
in Thailand.
"Everything hinges on access," says Greg Beck, the IRC's Thailand-based
Asia regional director. "Unless there's a massive and fast infusion of aid,
experts and supplies into the hardest-hit areas, there's going to be a
tragedy at an unimaginable scale."
The IRC is accepting contributions to support emergency relief programs
and long-term recovery assistance in Myanmar. Donations in the U.S. can be
made by calling +1-877-REFUGEE (+1-877-733-8433) or visiting www.theIRC.org,
and in the UK and Europe, by calling +44-020-7692-2735 or visiting
www.IRCuk.org.
About the IRC:
A global leader in humanitarian assistance, the International Rescue
Committee works around the world offering help and hope to refugees and
others uprooted by conflict and oppression. During crises, IRC teams provide
health care, shelter, clean water, sanitation, learning and healing programs
for children and special aid for women. As emergencies subside, the IRC
stays to revive livelihoods and help shattered communities recover and
rebuild. The IRC also helps resettle refugees admitted into the
United States. A tireless advocate for the most vulnerable, the IRC is
committed to restoring hope, dignity and opportunity.
Web Site: http://www.theirc.org
http://www.IRCuk.org
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