Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RANGOON411
2008-05-23 06:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:  

BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO. 14

Tags:  EAID BM 
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VZCZCXRO1592
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGO #0411/01 1440652
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230652Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7654
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1221
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4765
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8309
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5871
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3750
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1661
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000411 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR USAID/OFDA, EAP/MLS, S/ES-O-CMS, DS/CC AND
DS/IP/EAP; PACOM FOR LTC JAMIE MCADEN; BANGKOK FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO. 14

REF: RANGOON 408 AND PREVIOUS

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000411

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR USAID/OFDA, EAP/MLS, S/ES-O-CMS, DS/CC AND
DS/IP/EAP; PACOM FOR LTC JAMIE MCADEN; BANGKOK FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO. 14

REF: RANGOON 408 AND PREVIOUS

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) EMBASSY OPERATIONS: Embassy Rangoon operated on
city power and had full diesel fuel tanks. Most Embassy
residences have returned to city power. No criminal
incidents involving American staff were reported.


2. (SBU) U.S. RELIEF FLIGHTS: Five C-130 flights carrying
relief supplies were cleared and scheduled to arrive in
Rangoon on May 23. Two of them have been consigned to NGOs.
We have received clearance for five more flights tomorrow,
May 24, including two consignment shipments.


3. (SBU) SITUATION ON THE GROUND: UNSYG Ban Ki Moon met
with Senior General Than Shwe today in Naypyidaw before
returning to Bangkok. He will return again for the UN/ASEAN
donor conference on May 25. OFDA/DART team leader Bill
Berger attended the diplomatic tour of cyclone affected areas
today. Fuel prices declined nearly to pre-cyclone levels and
food prices continue to drop, although they remain higher
than normal.

EMBASSY OPERATIONS
--------------


4. (SBU) STAFFING AND OPERATIONS: Embassy Rangoon operated
on its normal 0800-1630 schedule subject to a liberal leave
policy. Other than those on regularly scheduled leave, a
full complement of local employees reported for work.


5. (SBU) CONSULAR: Consular has continued regular services
since May 21 and received no new welfare and whereabouts
cases.


6. (SBU) AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE: One EFM departed post on May
23 to join the 10 currently in Bangkok. Two additional EFMs
plan to depart post on authorized departure status on May 24
or 25.


7. (SBU) FUEL AND POWER: The Embassy operated on city power
and had full diesel storage tanks. Most residences are
operating on city power as well.


8. (SBU) WATER: The Embassy continued to have adequate water
supplies and purification capacity on hand.


9. (SBU) SECURITY: No criminal incidents involving American
staff were reported.

U.S. RELIEF FLIGHTS
--------------


10. (SBU) Five C-130 flights carrying relief supplies were
cleared and scheduled to arrive in Rangoon on May 23. Two of
them carry consignment shipments for NGOs. We have received
clearance for five flights on May 24, including two
consignment flights. Thus far, 45 U.S. military C-130 relief
flights have landed in Rangoon since the start of the
operation on May 12, including 11 flights consigned to NGOs.

SITUATION ON THE GROUND
--------------


11. (SBU) CONDITIONS, CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE: In a
preparatory meeting with donors on May 22, the international
community agreed to provide relief to Burma through an
ASEAN-led mechanism. A precise plan to implement relief
efforts has yet to be formulated. UNSYG Ban Ki Moon met with
Senior General Than Shwe in Naypyidaw today before returning
to Bangkok this evening. He plans to return to Rangoon for
the May 25 donors' conference. The government mouthpiece,
The New Light of Myanmar published government statistics on
May 22 on which townships foreign relief aid is reaching.

RANGOON 00000411 002 OF 002


The GOB plans to carry out the referendum on the draft
constitution in Rangoon and the affected delta areas on May

24.


12. (SBU) RECOVERY AND RELIEF: Bill Berger, the OFDA/DART
team leader, attended the diplomatic tour of cyclone-affected
areas on May 23. Providing relief to the delta region is
still the primary concern.


13. (SBU) FUEL: Fuel prices in Rangoon nearly returned to
pre-cyclone levels.


14. (SBU) FOOD AND WATER: Food prices in Rangoon continued
to drop, but most were still higher than before the cyclone.
Shortages in the delta continued.


15. (SBU) ELECTRICITY: The GOB continued to restore power
to parts of Rangoon.


16. (SBU) LAW AND ORDER: We received no reports of looting
or public disturbances in or around Rangoon.
VILLAROSA