Myanmar Humanitarian Background

Source: COE-DMHA (publisher), Burma (Myanmar) Disaster Management Reference Handbook, May 2014, http://www.coe-dmha.org/shared/pdf/disaster-mgmt-ref-hbks/disaster-mgmt-ref-hdbk-2014-burma.pdf, Date accessed: 19 Nov 2014.
For more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters: EMDAT information on Myanmar

Calamities and Seasonal Affects

The climate of Myanmar can be divided into three seasons: hot season, monsoon season and cold/dry season. Hot season is from March to mid-May; the monsoon rain falls from mid-May to the end of October; and the cold/dry season starts in November and ends at the end of February. Temperature varies from 38°C to 19°C, humidity from 82.8% to 66%. The cold/dry season runs from late October to mid-February. Temperatures are lowest at this time, although the climate remains tropical throughout most of Myanmar. The hot season lasts from late February to about mid-May. During this season, temperatures often top 38 °C in many parts of Myanmar.
There is normally no shortage of trucks, however fewer are available and more expensive during the rice harvest from October to November. In North East in Pang Kham there can be a shortage due to a high demand for trucks for building roads. In the North during February, in Lashio city, there can be a shortage of trucks. During Myanmar New Year, in mid-April, there are fewer trucks available and the price is higher. Secondary road transport shortages can be experienced in Mandalay, Myitkyina and in Wa Self-Administered Division. In case the Government initiates new projects, truck availability is limited and prices increase. Land slides occur regularly in the monsoon season, from Magway to Sittwe and in Kachin, Chin, northern Rakhine and Shan states, which can lead to obstruction of regular roads, that however often can be negated by using alternative roads.
Yangon-Magway waterway during the dry season is sometimes not passible by barges.
From Yangon to Sittwe, as per national regulation, rice has to be transported over the river by government boats. However, sometimes the government boats are not available. Government policy states that a permit is required to move food from one division to another division.
Trains are generally not riding on schedule, especially in the monsoon season.
In-country air transport is mainly used for passengers for a negligible volume of cargo.

Monsoon season - There is a potential need to pre-stock commodities due to potential constraints of transport and handling operations due to rain or non-availability of transport.

Hot season - Handling can be slowed down due to high temperatures and heat sensitive commodities can be damaged in non-temperature controlled warehouses.

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

A Standing order on Natural Disaster Management, Jan 2009, defined the disaster management roles and responsibilities for ministries and committees. In April 2011, the Myanmar Disaster Preparedness Agency (MDPA) was established as the main body responsible for Disaster Management. The National Natural Disaster Preparedness Central Committee (NDPCC) and the constitution of 11 sub-committees replaced the MPDA, by Notification no. 24/2013 of the President on 14 May 2013.
The NDPCC coordinates with the MSWRR, which constitutes of three departments: the Relief and Resettlement Department (RRD), Fire Services Department and Department of Social Welfare. The RRD is responsible to coordinate with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on disaster preparedness activities. A Disaster Management Law (DML) was passed in August 2013. As of June 2014 the Government of Myanmar is finalizing the regulations related to the DML, which may modify the current institutional disaster management structure.

Image Source: UNOCHA (publisher), Emergency Response Preparedness Plan Myanmar, 25 June 2014.

Ministries and Disaster Management Responsibilities

Ministries are involved with varying degrees of responsibilities in disaster management

At the time of Cyclone Nargis, May 2008, the Government of Myanmar as an isolated regime initially halted acceptance of humanitarian assistance. In the aftermath ASEAN was instrumental in creating a coordination mechanism for humanitarian relief and recovery work between the government of Myanmar, ASEAN partners and UN agencies.

For information on Myanmar Government contact details, please see the following link:

4.1 Myanmar Government Contact List

Humanitarian Community

In late 2006 the UN Resident Coordinator in Myanmar was appointed as Humanitarian Coordinator (HC). In 2010 a Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) was established, chaired by the HC, composed of representatives from UN agencies, INGOs and international organisations such as IOM and the Red Cross Movement.

The following table identifies the humanitarian sector and cluster leads based the UN Strategic Response Plan for 2014 as well as the linkage with government NDPCC sub-committees.

For information on Myanmar Humanitarian Agency contact details, please see the following link:

4.2 Myanmar Humanitarian Agency Contact List