July 11, 2008: The UN Cyclone Nargis Flash Appeal relaunches today in New York, aiming to fill a vast funding shortfall that has left many sectors of the relief response struggling.

Although donors have not yet fully met the UN’s initial request for US$201 million, the relaunched Flash Appeal now hopes to raise US$486 million. After two months of appeal, a lack of available funds across agencies threatens to jeopardise the international response.

“Donors have been somewhat hesitant to support the UN Flash Appeal,” said World Vision’s Cyclone Nargis Response Manager, Judy Moore. “We speculate that this is because of a fear that the aid is not getting through to those that need it. But World Vision can confirm that our relief is reaching those affected.”

“The relief operation is by no means over,” said John Holmes, head of U.N. humanitarian operations. “There are many who still remain in need of basic assistance and urgent support.”

Holmes said he was launching the appeal after initially requesting $201 million in aid and receiving nearly $180 million in pledges.

But along with the shortfall from that original request, the U.N. says it now needs an additional $280 million for the work of 13 U.N. agencies and 23 non-governmental organizations.

The money is intended to help the 2.4 million people that the U.N. says have been seriously affected by Cyclone Nargis. More than 100 projects are planned to deliver food, shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation, education and other needs.

Despite the relief efforts by international aid workers and Myanmar’s government, many areas of the Irrawaddy Delta hit hard by the May 2-3 storm still have not received as much as aid as they requested, Holmes said.

Holmes repeated his assertion that international aid efforts were making “significant progress” since U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, traveled to Myanmar to win a pledge from its ruling general, Than Shwe, to free up more access.

Holmes said, however, that half the families in Myanmar have food supplies of only about one day or less and some 60,000 children were at risk of malnutrition. He said the cyclone wiped out 42 percent of the nation’s overall food stocks.

Some 924,000 people will need food assistance until the November harvest this year, while around 300,000 will need continued relief until April 2009, the UN said.

Over 70 percent of households reported inadequate access to clean water because of damage to rainwater collection systems and saltwater contamination of ponds.

As a condition of full funding, the international community demanded a comprehensive assessment of the conditions facing those affected by Nargis. In response, a joint assessment was launched with the involvement of the Government of Myanmar, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the UN, and NGOs.

Six World Vision Myanmar staff were part of the joint assessment team, covering some of the worst-affected areas in Yangon, Labutta, Bogale, and Pathein, as well as providing coordination among the various teams. The Post-Nargis Joint Assessment is due to be released on the 21st of July.

“Now that the conditions laid out by donors have been met,” said World Vision’s Judy Moore, “it’s time that the international community step up and fully fund the response.”