Leading express operators and global humanitarian organizations are continuing their relief effortto help survivors in disaster-affected Myanmar and China. DHL and TNT carried out the latest
transports of aid supplies.DHL has teamed up with the humanitarian organization Mercy Corps to ship 18 pallets (overnine tons) of emergency supplies from Portland to Seattle where the cargo will be air lifted toBangkok.
In addition, Mercy Corps announced a new partnership in Myanmar with the UK-based medical aidagency Merlin to deliver direct aid to survivors. Mercy Corps will be working with Merlin in theLaputta District where up to 80,000 of the pre-cyclone population of 350,000 died in the storm.
Mercy Corps’ material aid team facilitated the shipment of over $300,000 worth of suppliesthat includes safety, health, shelter, and communications materials. Specific materials includethousands of pairs of work gloves and wind-up radios and flashlights, tarps, and hundreds ofmulti-tools. Oregon-based companies donating materials include Leatherman Tool Group Inc., NikeInc. and LaCrosse footwear.
DHL will store the entire shipment at its Bangkok warehouse and Mercy Corps staff, includinga Portland-based aid worker, will manage distribution of the supplies to China and Myanmar. DHL’sdonation of freight and warehouse storage is valued at around $750,000.
With an estimated 2.4 million people affected in Myanmar and at least 4.8 million homeless inChina, today’s air lift brings critical supplies to survivors of recent disasters. The combinedvalue of materials, shipping and storage tops $1 million in humanitarian assistance.
“DHL takes great pride in contributing its logistics expertise to deliver critical solutionsin disaster situations”, said Dan McHugh, CEO of DHL Express – Asia Pacific. “Our employees acrossthe world have responded swiftly to the events in Myanmar and China, and with the support of ourteams in the U.S. and Asia, we are pleased to be partnering with Mercy Corps once again ondelivering relief to the communities that need it most.”
“We’ve learned from past experience what types of supplies people need following a majordisaster and that’s what we’re sending to China and Myanmar”, said Matthew Schwartzberg, seniormaterial aid officer for Mercy Corps. “The materials we’ve chosen have critical value inemergencies but are not typically provided by governments and other aid groups. The needs remaingreat and DHL and the other companies involved are helping Mercy Corps reach those who need helpmost.”
Separately, TNT transported a total of 60 tons of relief materials from Liege, to Chengdu,China, thus assisting the Belgian, Luxembourg and German governments in their relief aidinitiatives. So far, donations and logistics services worth € 458,215 have been provided by TNT andits employees and nearly 1,200 tons of relief materials have been transported.
