Pandaw dispatches boat to help Myanmar flood victims

Pandaw, the river cruise company, has launched an emergency appeal for victims of the recent flooding in Myanmar.

The company’s not-for-profit arm, Pandaw Charity, will dispatch the Kalay Pandaw cruise vessel to the worst hit regions next week, laden with 100 tons of rice and a full medical team. The boat is designed to be able to cruise in shallow waters, allowing it to access remote inland areas.

Pandaw Charity was established following Cyclone Nargis in 2008, when the Pandaw ships were converted to floating hospitals. The company has since created seven Pandaw Clinics in Myanmar, which provide free medical care to locals.

The charity reports that “many thousands” of people have been left homeless by the recent floods, as well as losing livestock and food supplies. The Sagaing and Magwe areas, close to Pandaw Charity’s operational base at Pagan, have been severely affected.

Earlier this week the Myanmar government admitted that its response to the disaster has been “weak”.

sourced:traveldailymedia.com