ASEAN mobilises resources to assist cyclone-hit Myanmar

Jakarta (VNA) – The Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has sent another batch of relief items from the people of ASEAN to the people of Myanmar affected by Tropical Cyclone Mocha, said ASEAN Chair Indonesia.

The items, delivered to Yangon, include emergency shelter tool kits and a manual water filtration system worth 37,800 USD. They were transported from the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) warehouse in Subang, Malaysia, by Indonesia’s military aircraft, according to the ASEAN Chair’s statement released on June 30.

Earlier, two batches of DELSA relief items worth 393,400 USD had also been shipped to Yangon.

Moving forward, ASEAN stands ready to continue supporting Myanmar, including in the transition from emergency response to recovery phase. Modality of support may be developed, among others, from the final ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) needs assessment report.

The ASEAN Secretary-General, in his capacity as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator, will coordinate the bloc's response, the statement read.

Tropical Cyclone Mocha’s devastating impact has affected millions in Myanmar and severely damaging over 277,000 buildings including residential houses, schools, hospitals, and other public facilities.

To date, through ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), the ASEAN has mobilised 10 batches of humanitarian support for Myanmar with a total value of around 1.6 million USD. ASEAN member states have also responded individually by providing humanitarian assistance support in the forms of financial aid, logistics, and tools/equipment, the statement noted./.