In May 2024, Typhoon Yagi hit Myanmar's coast and spread devastating floods throughout both coastal areas and central parts of the country. The storm packed winds above 140 km/h, forcing around 850 thousand people from their homes while drowning approximately 120 thousand hectares worth of farmland. Over two thousand three hundred houses were completely wrecked, and major roads got cut off, making it really hard for rescue teams to reach those affected. According to satellite images, nearly forty percent of Rakhine State remained flooded for almost nineteen days straight, which is about twice what usually happens in this region over ten years combined. This shows just how bad and long lasting these floods actually were.
What we're seeing now is a real breakdown in how we handle emergencies when they hit hard. The shelter situation is dire too bad really most folks can't find anywhere to sleep safely because emergency shelters cover barely a third of what's needed. For those who have been forced from their homes, almost four out of five families end up drinking from water sources that aren't clean at all, which naturally makes them sick more often than not. And don't get me started on healthcare access. In areas where things are worst, there's basically one doctor trying to take care of eight thousand people. That math just doesn't work when someone gets seriously hurt or develops complications from all this.
Road blockages have delayed aid delivery, with 63% of required food supplies still undistributed. The destruction of 210 schools has disrupted education for 480,000 children, underscoring the need for recovery efforts to extend beyond immediate relief into long-term rebuilding.
Eitai has donated around 6 million kyats ($2,800) to help with flood relief efforts in Myanmar this year. This donation fits with what the Global Humanitarian Overview said was needed back in 2024. The company is sending money through existing disaster response networks so they can get things moving fast. Funds will go toward getting people out of danger zones, setting up temporary shelters, and making sure clean water is available. These kinds of actions really matter during those crucial first three days after a disaster hits when lives are most at risk.
The donation is strategically allocated to address the most pressing needs:
This targeted approach prioritizes communities with limited access to government-led relief, maximizing impact where it's needed most.
Eitai's money helped install 12 portable water filters throughout villages in the Ayeyarwady Delta region, giving clean drinking water to around 8,000 people living there. Before the floods hit, most families had limited access to safe water sources. Now, after these installations, communities report having three times more clean water available than they did before disaster struck. Health workers on the ground saw something remarkable happen too - within just two weeks, cases of diarrhea among children dropped by almost two thirds. The speed at which this happened shows what difference targeted aid can make when delivered quickly after a catastrophe hits.
Myanmar’s disaster management system faces structural limitations that impede effective flood response. A 2023 assessment identified three major challenges:
|
Challenge Type |
Key Issues |
Impact |
|
Interagency Coordination |
Lack of unified command structures |
Delayed resource deployment during emergencies |
|
Funding Allocation |
Only 12% of budgets fund preparedness |
Reactive rather than preventive strategies |
|
Data Accessibility |
Siloed reporting systems |
Inaccurate real-time flood mapping |
These systemic weaknesses hinder the efficient use of international contributions, including donations like Eitai’s.
After Typhoon Yagi hit, the government in Myanmar worked alongside 14 different NGOs plus three UN groups to get shelter supplies out to those affected. But according to research published in 2024 looking at how disasters are managed, around two thirds of these combined operations didn't have proper ways for everyone to communicate effectively, which caused lots of wasted work especially noticeable in Rakhine State. When local organizations were involved though, things changed quite a bit. People who speak the same languages and understand the culture could actually reach the right communities much better. The study showed this made a difference of nearly 30% in where aid ended up going. This clearly shows why having people from within the community matters so much when trying to fix problems after a disaster hits.
Three persistent barriers limit aid effectiveness:
Addressing these issues is essential to optimizing donor contributions and accelerating life-saving interventions.
Myanmar faced some of the worst floods in recent memory during the 2024 monsoon season when Typhoon Yagi hit the region hard. International aid groups didn't wait long before jumping into action. Around two dozen countries plus various international bodies quickly promised money and expertise to help out. The United Nations stepped in too, marking Southeast Asia as a top concern area for disaster relief. About 43 percent of all global funds meant for disasters were directed toward places vulnerable to flooding. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme set up no fewer than 112 mobile medical units across affected zones while shipping almost 18 thousand metric tons of specially enriched rice to hungry families. Their regional supply chain system proved crucial in getting assistance to remote villages cut off by rising waters.
In 2024, countries pledged around $127 million in foreign aid overall, but there were big differences in how fast money moved and what form it took. Japan sent over $42 million worth of grants alone, which makes up nearly a third of all aid given that year. Meanwhile, India managed to get 8,000 emergency shelter kits out through direct agreements between governments. Companies also stepped up when local communities needed help that bigger aid programs missed. Take Eitai for instance, they donated 6 million kyats specifically for areas where standard relief efforts just didn't reach everyone. Still, according to the World Food Programme's report from last year, Southeast Asia faced serious problems during floods because only 81 cents out of every dollar needed actually came through. This gap shows why keeping attention on humanitarian crises remains so tough across different parts of the world.
Cooperation between neighboring countries has become increasingly important for building resilience against disasters. The ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Centre actually managed to get 15 percent more resources together in 2024 compared to earlier years. This shows people are starting to trust local response teams more these days. When things happen fast, getting help arrives 30 to maybe even 45 days quicker than before makes all the difference. We're seeing another big change too - governments are focusing more on adapting to climate changes rather than just reacting after disasters strike. Take flood resistant infrastructure for example. About $28 million went into those kinds of projects this year alone. That's way more money than back in 2020 when only around $9 million was spent. These investments point to something serious happening in areas that are constantly at risk from natural disasters.
Typhoon Yagi caused immense damage in Myanmar, displacing around 850,000 people, submerging approximately 120,000 hectares of farmland, and flooding nearly 40% of Rakhine State for 19 days.
Eitai donated 6 million kyats for flood relief, focusing on food security, medical support, and shelter reinforcement to assist communities with limited access to government-led relief.
Myanmar faces challenges such as lack of interagency coordination, inadequate funding for preparedness, and poor data accessibility which hinder effective disaster response.
We hope that through our joint efforts, the people in the disaster-stricken areas of Myanmar can overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes.
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