Taiwan to send aid to cyclone victims in Myanmar

Taiwan to send aid to cyclone victims in MyanmarTaipei - Taiwan's civic groups were making plans Tuesday to rush aid to Myanmar including Taiwan's Red Cross, acting in response to a call from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

"We are do this in response to ICRC's target to raise 200,000 Swiss Francs (190,000 US dollars) for Myanmar's cyclone victims," Lin Hsiu-fen, press officer for Taiwan's Red Cross, said.

"We are still assessing if we should send a relief team to Myanmar, because it is difficult to enter Myanmar and we do not know the extend of damage yet," she said.

Taiwanese Buddhist group the Tzu Chi Foundation was also considering how it can send relief.

"As Thailand is nearby Myanmar and Tzi Chi has a branch in Thailand, we will probably mobilize our volunteers in Thailand to buy relief material and sent them into Myanmar," Tzu Chi Spokesman Ke Chuan-fu said.

Tzu Chi, founded by Master Cheng Yen in 1966, has branches in more than 20 countries who carry out social, education and relief work. (dpa)