Myanmar — Work is still under way to assess the scale of the devastation caused by the cyclone, which brought winds reaching 190km/h (120mph) to Rangoon and the Irrawaddy Delta area of lower Burma.
Exotissimo travel Myanmar’s Yangon office reopened today (Tuesday) after the storm finally passed through the city. With no electricity or internet connection, communication was difficult but telephone lines were operating this morning and we have now been able to asses the damage and potential risks for travelers to Myanmar.
It seems Yangon is damaged but has survived and work is underway to clear up the mess. All hotels are open and operating even if electricity must come via generators and is limited to night time only in some hotels. Transportation is possible and work is underway to clear the roads of the many trees that were blown down. The airport at Yangon is fully functional and international and domestic flights are operating as normal. Travel to upcountry destinations is completely safe and life and tourist activity in Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake is continuing as normal.
The humanitarian disaster is in the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta region where the storm caused a sea surge that smashed through towns and villages.
“According to the BBC and Red Cross reports are coming out of the delta coast, particularly the Irrawaddy region, that in some villages up to 95% of houses have been destroyed,” said Matthew Cochrane of the International Red Cross.
Ten thousand people died in the town of Bogalay alone, state media said. The storm destroyed roads, downed power lines and flattened houses, leaving people across the region homeless.
“The people in the Delta are in desperate need of food, shelter and clean drinking water,” said Su Su Tin, managing director of Exotissimo Myanmar.
Exotissimo has set up an emergency fund with a donation of 10,000 USD. This fund will be managed by Exotissimo until we find a trusted and effective NGO or charity to take over.
The fund will be used to pay for rice and to rebuild houses or temporary shelters. With a staff of fifty in Yangon located in the modern Sakura Building where there is still electricity, we are in a unique position to help quickly and effectively and to ensure that funds go directly to where they are needed most.
We have invited our clients to contribute if they wish and already several tour operators have expressed their desire to help.
If you wish to help the people of Myanmar by supporting the Myanmar Cyclone Relief Fund you can donate any amount via credit card. To put things in perspective: 40 USD will buy one bag of rice that can feed a family of four for a month; 300 USD will pay for a basic house to shelter a homeless family.
By visiting our site today, you have shown that you have a heart and want to the poor victims of the recent cyclone in Myanmar. These unfortunates may never get the chance to ‘thank you’ in person. On their behalf we would like to say ‘Thank you’.
Exotissimo Travel is a leading Destination Management Company in Southeast Asia. We are not an aid or charity organization, though we do represent a network of 14 operations offices across the area, including four offices in Myanmar. We work and live in the area out of a shared love and connection with the people and the place.
Disasters can destroy lives in an instant, and we are working to minimize its awful impact. Please join us in this effort to provide hope to this unfortunate area. Small contributions now can make incredible differences for many.
Every donated dollar will go to relief organizations. We will use our experience in Myanmar to ensure that the aid goes to charities able to provide the relief efficiently.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Exotissimo Myanmar can be reached by phone and fax.
Tel: (951) 255 266 / 255 388 / 255 427 / 255 120 / 255 160 / 255 171 / 255 170
Fax: (951) 255 428
Ma Pauk (Operations): +95 9 512 1231
Den (French): +95 9 519 9581
Nwe Nwe (Sales Manager): +95 9 992 6597
Kay (Direct Sales): +95 9 501 9045
Su Su Tin: +95 9 200 5643
