NLD members from the area around Taunggyi collected donations last week and the money will be used in building makeshift shelters for people who are homeless.

“We will donate 1.7 million kyat and even more money if we get more donations’, said branch general secretary Khin Moe Moe.

‘The emergency requirement for the quake victims is makeshift shelters. So we’ll buy tarpaulins and distribute them to the victims. We heard that food and clothing are adequate for now’.

She said NLD members collected donations by distributing envelopes bearing the words ‘Assistance for ethnic brethren quake victims’.

Party spokesman Ohn Kyaing said that NLD headquarters in Rangoon also has a plan to give more assistance to quake-hit areas.

‘Now we are requesting our state and division branches to collect more donations. First we will do it for relief work and later we will do it for rehabilitation. World organizations are also doing relief work’, he told Mizzima.

A relief worker from Kengtung said that food and clothing are adequate for quake victims in Tahlay village and the major need for now is shelter.

‘We will need construction material. Akha and Lahu villagers came to Tahlay from their devastated villagers and made more quake victims in Tahlay. The relief supplies are adequate for victims living in roadside makeshift shelters. But residents need more building material’, he told Mizzima.

International organizations including World Vision, UNHCR, the Red Cross and various NGOs are also providing relief supplies.

The state-run New Light of Myanmar reported on Monday April 4 that Vice President Sai Mauk Kham donated US $13,275 for 214 households, $33,884 for reconstruction of devastated monasteries and $33,884 for reconstruction of damaged hospitals.

The state-run daily newspaper claimed that the money came from government funds, but in fact the money was donated by individual donors and well-wishers, a local relief worker said.

Meanwhile, foreign governments have announced donations to quake victims including  $1 million from the  Indian government; $500,000 from the  Chinese government; $105,042 from two China-Burma friendship organizations; and $14,925 which was given to Burmese ambassador Tin Oo in Beijing for quake victims.

The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affair on March 27 said the estimated loss was $3.6 million, based on an estimate by the Tahlay sub-township earthquake relief committee.

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck on March 24 and, according to state figures, left 74 people dead and 125 injured, while destroying more than 300 houses, many public buildings and 58 monasteries.

Local residents said the quake killed more than 150 people in Tachileik District, Tahlay sub-township, Meng Lin (East and West), Kyakuni, Naryaung-Mengko villages and left thousands of people homeless.