The international express industry has this week stepped up its activities to help provide reliefsupplies for victims of the Myanmar cyclone and China earthquake. But more far more logistical
support is still needed in Myanmar.In Myanmar, the official death toll from the cyclone is now 43,000 and up to 2.5 millionpeople are severely affected according to the UN. Distribution of international aid remainsdisrupted by damaged roads and buildings and the refusal to allow many foreign aid workers into thecountry.
Aid flights have arrived at Yangon airport from South-East Asia, China, India, Bangladesh,Dubai and Europe in recent days but onward transportation is a problem since trucks cannot use manyof the roads into the affected areas. There is also a shortage of warehousing for relief supplies,and fears of a “logistical bottleneck” in Yangon.
“There is urgent need for food, shelter, medical supplies and water. Damaged infrastructureand communications pose serious logistical challenges,” the United Nations Office for theCoordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated. “Massive logistical support is needed for aneffective response.”
The World Food Programme (WFP), which leads the international “Logistics Cluster” of UNbodies and NGOs, is now negotiating with the Thai government to use the former BangkokInternational Airport (Don Muang) as a staging point for relief operations into Myanmar. The WFP,which has so far distributed about 1,200 tons of food supplies to cyclone victims, is also tryingto secure warehouse space near Yangon International Airport.
On May 9, the Logistics Emergency Team (LET), comprising TNT, UPS and logistics firm Agility,was called on to help build up a staging area at Bangkok’s Don Muang airport. This would be used asthe base for an “air bridge” and possibly a “road bridge” to operate an uninterrupted supply ofrelief goods into Myanmar, TNT stated on its “Moving the World” website. In the meantime, Agility,TNT and UPS have provided temporary warehouse space at the new Bangkok airport. TNT has alsoprovided logistics support for various transports from India, Thailand and Bangladesh.
UPS announced that its Myanmar support includes in-kind shipping and logistical support andexpertise. UPS will deploy a UPS supply chain expert to Thailand as part of the United Nations’Logistics Emergency Teams in support of the World Food Program’s aid efforts to Myanmar. UPS alsois providing an airplane to fly relief supplies from Utah to Thailand where they will be processedfor transport to Myanmar.
Further, UPS is assisting CARE International’s operation in Thailand by assembling aidpackages to be distributed to families including blankets, jerry cans (for water), plasticsheeting, clothes, kitchen and hygiene items. The UPS Foundation also donated $200,000 to CARE tosupport its activities in Myanmar. “The people of Myanmar are facing great tragedy and The UPSFoundation is eager to respond to the call for help,” said Lisa Hamilton, president, The UPSFoundation.
FedEx has teamed up with US aid organisation Convoy of Hope to fly three loads of reliefsuppliers, including 10,000 water purifers, from the USA to Bangkok for onward distribution inMyanmar.
In China, UPS said is contributing more than US$1 million in cash and in-kind support to theearthquake relief efforts through its charitable arm, The UPS Foundation. It donated $500,000 tothe American Red Cross in support of Red Cross earthquake response efforts on the ground and UPShas pledged an additional $500,000 for in-kind support to aid the delivery of relief supplies. Anadditional US$50,000 (350,000 RMB) has been pledged locally to the China Charity Federation.
“The devastation in Chengdu is heartbreaking,” said Lisa Hamilton, president, The UPSFoundation. “Through the efforts of the Red Cross and the China Charity Foundation, UPS intends tobe a part of the effort to alleviate some of the suffering there.”
