MAP International's first wave of medicines and emergency supplies has arrived in Myanmar and more shipments are on the way. The relief effort will help thousands of survivors of the recent cyclone that has left as many as 100,000 people dead and more than 2.5 million homeless.

Medical teams from partner organizations arrived in Myanmar with MAP medicines and health supplies to treat survivors in some of the most devastated areas. The medicines include antibiotics, first aid items, water purification tablets and other medicines and emergency supplies.

"This is a very critical time for the people of Myanmar," said Chris Palusky, MAP's relief director. "People have had their homes destroyed. Many are living in temporary camps and shelters where they're at risk of outbreaks of diseases. It's imperative that MAP respond quickly and provide them with the healthcare they need."

MAP is planning to ship more medical supplies and has also purchased medicines in Thailand, which medical teams hand-carried into Myanmar. MAP is also sending an Emergency Health Kit, which will stock a field medical facility with a three-month supply of medicines and emergency medical supplies to treat 10,000 people.

Cyclone Nargis made landfall in Myanmar May 2, flattening entire villages and leaving much of the country in ruin. It is the worst disaster to strike Asia since the 2004 tsunami, which left 225,000 people dead in 11 countries. Nearly half of Myanmar's 53 million people live in the areas most drastically affected by the storm, many of them in the low-lying areas along the Irrawaddy Delta.

MAP expects to provide an estimated $400,000 in relief efforts over the next 12 to 15 months as people in Myanmar try to recover from the disaster and begin to rebuild their lives.