Agency says aid effort will face huge challenges

As its initial response to the Myanmar cyclone Oxfam today committed up to £250,000 and put a team on standby.

"The aid effort faces huge challenges. Some 24 million live in the areas affected by the storm. Communications are down in the cyclone-hit areas, roads have been washed away and getting aid to people will be very difficult. The international community needs to be quick both to respond to this crisis and to ensure the needs of those most affected are met," said Sarah Ireland, Oxfam's East Asia Regional Director.

Oxfam currently does not run operational programmes in Myanmar, and so its aid effort will be channelled through partner organisations with a mixture of cash funding, technical expertise and equipment where required.

For more information contact:

Stuart Fowkes (UK):
+44 (0)1865 472254 / +44 (0)7818 406038 / sfowkes at oxfam.org.uk

Ian Bray (UK):
+44 (0)1865 472289 / +44 (0)7721 461339 / ibray at oxfam.org.uk

Surasak Glahan (Bangkok):
+66 2656 7615 - Ext 117 (office) / +66 818553196 (mobile) / sglahan at oxfam.org.uk