BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO. 4

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000335 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR USAID/OFDA, EAP/MLS, S/ES-O-CMS, DS/CC AND DS/IP/EAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID BM SUBJECT: BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO. 4 REF: A. RANGOON 334 ¶B. RANGOON 330 AND PREVIOUS ¶C. IIR 6 812 0065 08/BURMA ¶D. IIR 6 812 0062 08/BURMA SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) EMBASSY OPERATIONS: Embassy Rangoon continued to operate on city power and we expect to top off our diesel tanks tomorrow. All FSNs will be allowed administrative leave at 1200 on May 9 to repair their homes. The American Center will reopen on May 12. So far 22 family members have elected to depart post, the first four will leave on May 9. On May 7, we issued a warden message reiterating the points in the Department's travel warning and providing fight information. At the request of family members in the US, Consular continued to confirm welfare/whereabouts of Amcits and has not received any requests for emergency assistance. ¶2. (SBU) SITUATION ON THE GROUND: Embassy officers who traveled to Bago and the southeastern Irrawaddy delta on May 7 reported most roads were passable but several bridges were damaged and at least one destroyed. Damage in the area they visited was moderate to severe, with conditions worse the further south they traveled. Government relief efforts had begun but were slow and inconsistent. A fuel shipment was expected to arrive near Rangoon today, although with the ports closed it will take about two days to transport the fuel to Rangoon by barge. Authorities continued to restore power to parts of downtown and central Rangoon, but many neighborhoods, including most of the city's suburbs, were without city electricity. Food was more readily available in Rangoon but at high prices. The price of diesel and gasoline dropped by between 10 and 20 percent. There were no reports of significant looting or public disturbances in Rangoon. Residents of the delta region were still in dire need of food, water, and fuel. EMBASSY OPERATIONS -------------- ¶X. (SBU) STAFFING AND OPERATIONS: All FSNs will be granted administrative leave at 1200 on Friday, May 9 to repair their homes. We continue to operate under a liberal leave policy. Post will reopen the American Center on Monday May 12, subject to the continued availability of fuel and city electricity. ¶X. (SBU) CONSULAR: On the afternoon of May 7, a Warden Message was disseminated reminding Amcits of the May 5 Travel Warning, which urged Amcits to strongly consider departing Burma. The Warden Message also provided commercial airline and flight availability information. Consular continued to confirm welfare/whereabouts of Amcits, about whom U.S. family members inquired, principally by visiting them by car when an exact address is known and by Burmese Immigration authorities' confirmations of departure. Telephonic confirmations do occur, but are sparse due to telecommunications lines being cut in most of Rangoon. Consular has received no Amcit requests for emergency assistance. ¶X. (SBU) AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE AND FLIGHTS: Post's Authorized Departure Task Force met again on May 8. So far, 22 eligible family members have requested to depart post. The first four are scheduled to depart on May 9 and more should depart over the weekend. ¶X. (SBU) FUEL AND POWER: The Embassy continued to operate on city power. We received four truckloads of diesel fuel and one truckload of high octane on May 8. With that delivery, our diesel storage tanks are now 85 percent full, and high octane tanks are at 48 percent. We expect to receive four more truckloads tomorrow which would top off our RANGOON 00000335 002 OF 003 diesel storage tanks. ¶X. (SBU) WATER: The Embassy continues to have adequate water supplies and purification capacity on hand. ¶X. (SBU) SECURITY: No criminal incidents involving American staff were reported. RSO has received reports some residences may have been cased by potential burglars. We continued to operate two mobile patrols around Embassy residences 24 hours a day and Embassy staff have been instructed to remain vigilant for potential security threats. ¶X. (SBU) OTHER: Post distributed food and temporary chlorine water purification kits to our FSNs to meet immediate needs. SITUATION ON THE GROUND -------------- ¶X. (SBU) CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE: Embassy officers from P/E and DAO traveled to Bago and the southeastern Irrawaddy delta on May 7. Southern Bago Division, among the areas that the Burmese government declared a disaster area, suffered variable damage from Cyclone Nargis. The roads to and from Bago were clear and relatively undamaged. The city of Bago appeared relatively undamaged except for a few fallen trees and damaged homes. The situation south of Bago, however, was far more severe. Much of the rice crop was un-harvested at the time of the storm and has been ruined. Prices for construction materials have tripled since the May 3 cyclone. Food, fuel, and clean water was scarce and prices continued to rise (see Septel). ¶X. (SBU) DAO officers reported a mixture of moderate to severe damage in the southeastern delta region (see reftels C and D). Roads were relatively undamaged, but Embassy officers observed at least one destroyed bridge near Dedaye (50KM southwest of Rangoon) and at least two severely damaged bridges near Bogalay (100KM southwest of Rangoon). There was significant damage to towns between Rangoon and Dedaye, with conditions getting worse the further south Emboff traveled. None of these towns had electricity and few had access to potable water. DAO officer observed several un-recovered human corpses and animal carcasses between Kungyangon and Dedaye. Local residents in Bogolay told us approximately 15,000 persons had died in or near that city, although Emboff did not observe any un-recovered corpses and could not confirm these figures. Most of the first-hand accounts of deaths came from the town of Seisan, 25 miles south of Bogolay. Residents in Bogolay reported they had harvested and sold approximately 90 percent of their rice crop to traders before the storm, although DAO officer observed significant damage to several rice mills which may have ruined some of the crop being processed. Authorities prevented DAO officer from traveling beyond Bogolay. ¶X. (SBU) RECOVERY AND RELIEF: Most local residents Embassy officers encountered were actively engaged in recovery efforts, including reconstruction of their homes, salvaging and drying rice crops, and clearing downed trees and power lines. While government relief efforts had begun, Emboffs reported the progress was slow and inconsistent. DAO learned that the GOB has been conducting food drops in the delta region using its five available helicopters. Soldiers were present in some places Emboffs visited clearing trees and distributing supplies, but residents were left to themselves in others. In Bogolay, several monks had begun to organize relief efforts themselves. Emboffs reported the government was not actively engaged in rendering medical care in the areas they visited. We will try to send officers to the southwest delta region where reports of losses are more severe. ¶X. (SBU) FUEL: Econ contacts reported private companies will begin bringing fuel shipments into Rangoon. A shipment of diesel fuel is expected to arrive at the mouth of the river RANGOON 00000335 003 OF 003 south of Rangoon today. Because of the damaged ports, the fuel must then be transferred to a barge for transport to Rangoon (reftel A). Our contact expected the fuel would likely arrive in Rangoon on Saturday May 10, but did not know how much was being shipped. Blackmarket fuel prices dropped on May 8. Diesel sold at 8,000 kyat ($7.20) per gallon, down 2,000 from the day before. Gasoline sold for 7,000 ($6.30) per gallon, down 1,000 from the day before. Additionally, our contacts reported lines and rationing at some gas stations have begun to ease, with some stations selling five to six gallons per visit, versus just two yesterday. ¶X. (SBU) FOOD AND WATER: Food was generally available in most parts of Rangoon, but at high prices. Fruits and vegetables were more readily available than meat, fish, and rice. Most outdoor markets were open for business and several more modern grocery stores operated on a limited basis. Most residents of the delta region are still in dire need of food and water. ¶X. (SBU) TRANSPORTATION: Limited train service to and from Rangoon resumed. More busses and other forms of public conveyance were seen on the roads today. ¶X. (SBU) ELECTRICITY: Authorities continued to restore power to parts of downtown and central Rangoon, but many neighborhoods, including most of the city's suburbs, were without city electricity. Most, if not all, of the delta remained without government-provided power. ¶X. (SBU) LAW AND ORDER: There were no reports of widespread looting or public disturbance in or around Rangoon. Emboffs observed numerous police and soldiers around the downtown and central Rangoon. ¶X. (SBU) VISAS: Four UN international aid experts were granted visas, but one of their Dutch colleagues was still waiting. Reports from Thailand that the GOB has authorized US military flights are not based on the facts. We have received no authorization. The story is based on a Thai general's conversation with a Burmese general. VILLAROSA