VZCZCXRO5427
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGO #0319/01 1261340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051340Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7484
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1119
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4666
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8207
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5769
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3637
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1521
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000319 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR USAID/OFDA, EAP/MLS, S/ES-O-CMS, DS/CC AND 
DS/IP/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO. 1 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 310 
     ¶B. RANGOON 315 
     ¶C. RANGOON 317 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  All Embassy facilities suffered some 
damage from Cyclone Nargis on May 3, five residences are 
currently without water, and one residence has been rendered 
uninhabitable.  Post is working to secure fuel and food 
supplies for facilities and personnel, and has requested 
authorized departure for family members.  We have received no 
reports of major injuries or deaths among American citizens 
in Rangoon.  The GOB has acknowledged the deaths of 10,000 
people throughout the country, but downplays the extent of 
damage to Rangoon.  Reports from local citizens, however, 
indicate otherwise fuel and water shortages, adding to 
hardships, price gouging, and people angry at the lack of 
preparedness and response by the GOB.  End Summary. 
 
Embassy Operations 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Embassy Rangoon continues to assess damage to 
facilities, as well as the immediate needs of the Embassy 
community.  At a Town Hall for American staff, the management 
section outlined its initial priorities: assessment and 
clean-up of damage to Embassy facilities, distribution of 
fuel to Embassy homes and buildings, assessment of food and 
water supplies.  We also discussed seeking authorized 
departure of family members, and monitoring the welfare of 
other American citizens in the country. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Currently, there are at least five Embassy homes 
without adequate water, including the Chief of Mission and 
DCM residences. The storm blew the roof off of one residence, 
rendering it uninhabitable.  Management and GSO continue to 
work to clear fallen trees and debris from facilities. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Management reported Post had not received all of the 
fuel supplies it had ordered.  We currently have 3,200 
gallons of high octane fuel and 6,600 gallons of diesel. 
Embassy took delivery of five truckloads of diesel on May 5, 
but was informed later that only two truckloads of the five 
we expected May 6 would be delivered.  GSO is refueling 
residential generators subject to supplies and access, and is 
following up with Petronas to determine the status of future 
fuel shipments.  The current promised shipments should 
sustain the mission for up to one month, operating 
continuously on generators. 
 
¶5. (SBU) RSO and DAO expressed concern about the ability of 
government authorities to maintain law and order, if citywide 
shortages of fuel, water, and food prove prolonged, and DAO 
reported isolated incidences of looting in Rangoon. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Post has requested M approve the Authorized 
Departure of family members from Rangoon until the situation 
stabilizes and fuel, water, and food supplies return to 
normal.  Seats on departing flights remain scarce, but GSO 
contacts report that Thai Airways will try to add a flight to 
its schedule to take additional people out of Burma. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Over the weekend, Embassy officers canvassed the 
city to locate American citizens living in Rangoon.  Our 
search revealed that while many suffer the electricity, 
communication, and fuel shortages caused by the storm, none 
reported injuries or deaths nor requested emergency 
assistance.  The Embassy will hold a Town Hall meeting for 
official and non-official Americans on May 6.  Conoff drafted 
a Travel Alert for Consular Affairs approval. 
 
Situation on the Ground in Rangoon 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) In a meeting with diplomats on May 5, the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Information, and the 
Ministry of Social Welfare reported the death of 10,000 
 
RANGOON 00000319  002 OF 002 
 
 
people as a result of the cyclone's passage through Burma. 
They also stated 3,000 people were still missing.  They 
reported major destruction in the Irrawaddy Delta, including 
the collapse of 95 percent of buildings.  However, the 
Minister of Social Welfare asserted Rangoon was "not severely 
hurt; not very big damage."  He claimed that one third of the 
city already had restored electricity and water supplies. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The situation that Embassy personnel witnessed on 
the streets differed considerably from the Ministers.  Many 
residents complained that the effects of the storm were 
exacerbated by the GOB's failure to warn of the coming 
cyclone and instruct citizens on how to prepare for it 
adequately.  The vast majority of people were unprepared for 
such a disaster.  Locals did not fail to point out to Embassy 
personnel that the soldiers who seemed so enthusiastic in the 
crackdown in September hesitated to help with meaningful 
clean-up and relief activities. 
 
¶10. Trees and power lines are down throughout the city with 
most Burmese expecting repairs will take months.  During a 
Town Hall meeting with the Embassy FSNs, they complained that 
their government had offered no information or assistance. 
One FSN noted that local officials visited him three times to 
solicit his vote of approval of the regime's constitution, 
but now was nowhere to be found.  Most FSNs reported losing 
their roofs and increasing problems getting enough water. 
Since they are getting no news from government officials, 
they asked for more information from the shortwave 
broadcasters (VOA, RFA, DVB, BBC) about what to do during 
disasters, warning of fire hazards as candle use rises, how 
to make water safe, and other health advice. 
 
¶11. (SBU)  As a result of the cyclone, prices of fuel - 
gasoline and diesel - and basic food commodities have 
increased dramatically, putting the financial squeeze on many 
Burmese.  Black market prices of gasoline increased 54 
percent, from 5,200 kyat ($4.70) a gallon to 8,000 kyat 
($7.20) a gallon, while diesel prices rose 72 percent from 
5,800 kyat ($5.20) a gallon to 10,000 kyat ($9.00) a gallon. 
Food and water prices have also increased dramatically, due 
to lower supply, increased demand, and higher transportation 
costs.  The most in-demand products are drinking water, 
cooking oil, and rice.  Potable water prices rose 233 
percent, from 300 kyat ($0.27) to 1000 kyat ($90) a liter; 
cooking oil prices rose 45 percent, from 4,500 kyat ($4.00) 
to 6,500 kyat ($5.90) for a two liter bottle; and rice prices 
increased 25 percent, from 24,000 kyat ($21.80) to 30,000 
kyat ($27.27) a bag.   Vendors predict that prices will 
decrease over the next few days, as the government restores 
supply lines and the Regional Commander steps in to control 
prices.  However, as long as fuel prices remain high, prices 
of water and basic food commodities will be higher than 
pre-cyclone levels (to be reported septel). 
 
¶12.  (SBU) As initial reports of looting and arguments over 
fuel and food start to trickle in, fears have risen that the 
security situation throughout the city could deteriorate over 
time.  People are desperate to feed their families, repair 
roofs on their houses, and perform basic hygiene.  The 
competition for scarce commodities has not only already 
driven up prices, but may also spark violence among citizens 
and between citizens and security forces. 
VILLAROSA