After Cyclone Nargis

13 May 2008

News for people in the Clifton Diocese from the Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF). 

“It was like the tsunami only it was worse than the tsunami. It was a tsunami, a tornado and a cyclone together, all happening at the same time.  The wind passed through, circling the whole town, first of all coming from north to south, then changing from east to west. After half an hour, it changed again from south to north. It circled the whole town for about twelve hours... like a tornado. The tide rose more than four metres above its usual level. People could not run away. There was no place to go.”

Myanmar (Burma) has been struck by Clyclone Nargis.  Fathers Louis and Callistus Saw Eh Mwee, the Assistant and the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Myanmar spoke as one person of the tragic horror experienced by their country. The work of the Pontifical Mission Societies is best known in England and Wales through the work of the Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF) and the Red Box collections from 20,000 homes across the two countries.

The only way to reach the devastated area is by helicopter, but there is nowhere for the helicopter to land because, although the weather is now good, the waters are not going down. Normally, some of the isolated areas are accessible by car as well as by boat...it is a delta region, you understand, and so there are many small, twisting, rivers... but now, it is very difficult to assess the situation.  We had a phone call yesterday from the Pontifical Mission Societies in Australia, asking what help we need, but I had to tell them that, at the moment, I do not know.  Phone lines were cut by falling trees and so we have not been able to establish communication. At this distance and with no electricity or light and with a shortage of water and fuel, there is little that we can do at this present time. Our own office phone line has been cut, but all cables to the delta region, which was the most seriously affected, were damaged or destroyed.

At first the Government was afraid to accept foreign help, but now, they have seen that they cannot manage without it. Officially, the death toll is 22,000, with 40,000 missing, but the actual total is more likely to be 100,000. Now, bodies are starting to float to the surface. More accurate numbers are for the future.

There are helicopters, but they are not sufficient in the face of this disaster. The UN and NGOs are trying to help, but it is still not enough and they are waiting for visas. There is a huge need for food, water, clothing and medicine. There is no place for helicopters to land. Even boats fastened at the jetty were unsafe and more than 50 fishing boats and ships sank at the quayside. This, of course, compounds the problem, because if the fishermen are unable to fish, that only increases the food shortages experienced by the people.

There are two dioceses in the delta area, and two churches. We have no information on either and it is entirely possible that they have both been totally destroyed.

More than 90% of the buildings in the area were destroyed, so people have nowhere to go. The Government could not expect a disaster on this scale. Now, they are afraid and are willing to accept foreign help. Winds of 120 mile per hour circled us for twelve hours. Hurricane Katrina only had the wind for about four hours. We had them for twelve. The buildings and trees could not survive the onslaught. More than seventy percent of them were destroyed. Clearing them is a huge problem.  Even after four days, little impression has been made on the mountain of debris.

Of course, it is like it was during the tsunami: everybody knows somebody in the affected areas. It is very difficult to cope without water, light and electricity.  The two dioceses in the area have suffered very much, but we cannot contact them because the lines are down. We need the support of your prayers. It is good to know that people are praying for us.

And the assurance of prayers was something that Pope Benedict promised on behalf of all of us. In a telegram addressed to Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng of Mandalay, President of the Bishops' Conference of Myanmar, the Holy Father said, "Deeply saddened by news of the tragic aftermath of the recent cyclone, the Holy Father expresses his heartfelt sympathy. With prayers for the victims and their families, he invokes God's peace upon the dead and divine strength and comfort upon the homeless and all who are suffering.

"Confident that the international community will respond with generous and effective relief to the needs of your countrymen, His Holiness asks you to convey his solidarity and concern to the civil authorities and to all the beloved people of Myanmar."

Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, head of the Indian Bishops' Conference, echoed the Pope’s sentiments. “Myanmar is our neighbour”, he declared, “and their tragedy causes us much pain and anguish... and so the Indian Church will send any assistance required to bring succour to the victims.”

Here, in England and Wales, the APF, which has 120 offices worldwide including Burma (Myanmar) where there are many projects, including one of ongoing support to the seminaries, will be involved in the re-building work and if you would like to support this work we will forward your donations to our offices in Rome who are coordinating the emergency relief.  Please send your donations to APF – Burma Relief, 23 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1NU.  Please make cheques payable to APF.  You can all the APF on 020 7821 9755. 

Sister Janet Fearns

You can listen to our audio report from Sister Janet Fearns in the multimedia panel on the right.