Providing assistance: Union Ministers comfort cyclone-hit people in Rakhine

Member of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San together with Union Ministers, Senior Tatmadaw officers, Rakhine State cabinet members and departmental officials visited Maungtaw, Buthidaung, Rathaedaung and Kyauktaw in Rakhine State on 16th May and comforted cyclone-affected people and provided cash, provisions, medicines and food stuff. The Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister and party viewed around damages and losses by the storm in Maungtaw, Buthidaung and Buthidaung station, Rathaedaung and Rathaedaung station, Kyaukdaw and its station and met departmental officials and locals to give encouragements. The Union Minister and party presented 130 million kyats cash assistance, medicines and food stuff provided by the government for the storm-hit people in the said townships. In meetings with cyclone-affected people, the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister said that the government, Tatmadaw and the State government are undertaking promptly rescue and rehabilitation measures. Food, medical supplies, temporary tents and tarpaulins and construction materials were sent in advance and also continued to be delivered by vehicles, ships, Tatmadaw vessels and aircrafts since aftermath of the cyclone. The relief items will be sent promptly to the storm-affected townships, villages and wards. According to the instruction of the Head of State, priority will be made to repair the basic education schools that will start the school opening season soon, hospitals and monasteries. Similarly, arrangements will be made to have transportation and communication access, electricity supply and getting drinking water. He then added that the government, Tatmadaw and the State government will emphasize on solving the problems of the locals and fulfilling the needs. Likewise, Union Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, Union Minister for Cooperatives and Rural Development U Hla Moe, the Commander of Western Command and officials went to cyclone-hit Myaypon, KyaukPhyu, Min Pyar and Mrauk-U townships by Tatmadaw helicopter and comforted affected people and provided 100 million kyats cash assistance, rice, edible oil, salt, food stuff, medicines and personal goods. The Union Ministers and party inspected losses and damages by the storm in IDP camps in KyeinniPyin village, Pauktaw Township and in the township from aerial view. They then went to Myaypon and looked into damaged buildings, strand road and ring road, retaining wall and damaged roads and officials reported rehabilitation tasks. They then proceeded to Taung Paw ward and met families of Bengali people in the ward and the locals at the Angu village monastery and provided cash, rice, cooking oil, salt, foodstuff, medicines and personal goods. On arrival at KyaukPhyu, the Union Ministers and party went to KyaukPhyu Education Degree College and inspected hostels damaged by the storm. At the District General Administrative Department, the Union Ministers held meeting with district and township level department officials and town elders. At the meeting, the Union Ministers and the Commander gave speeches and coordinated with officials on the reports of town elders for the benefits of the region. Afterwards, the Union Minister and party went to Aye MyaThaya village where KyaukTalone IDP camp is relocated and met families of Bengalis who are accommodating there and provided cash and food stuff and then viewed around the village. From there, they proceeded to Minpyar and Mrauk U townships to give encouragements to cyclone-hit people and provided cash, food stuff, medicines and family kit boxes. They then looked into damaged schools and buildings by the storm and coordinated the needs for reconstruction tasks.