Cyclone kills 4000+ in Myanmar
Cyclone kills 4000+ in Myanmar
The death toll from a devastating cyclone in Yangon, Myanmar has risen to nearly 4,000. Almost 3,000 others are unaccounted for in Yangon. Older citizens said they had never seen Yangon, a city of some 6.5 million, so devastated in their lifetimes. The storm has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and without clean drinking water, a U.N. official has said.
Update on Myanmar disaster
A tropical cyclone named Nargis devastated the Yangon and Bogalay communities in Mayanmar. For 10 hours starting Friday night, millions of inhabitants endured 20 inches of rain, winds above 240 km/hr, and a 12 foot tidal wave that washed away 95% of the homes in Bogalay. The current count is over 22,000 dead and 41,000 missing.
up to a million people possibly homeless, some villages almost totally destroyed and vast rice-growing areas wiped out" (Associated Press)
Now, some four days later, humanitrian aid is standing by, waiting for the reclusive military rulers to give permission to provide help. Yangon, with its 6.5 million people, needs housing and clean drinking water. Without clean drinking water, the risk of disease spreading is the most serious concern.
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USA Today has an update on the Mayanmar disaster. (click to read)
The latest news from MSNBC says that Myanmar expects cyclone deaths to top 10,000.
In the U.S., we do a somewhat decent job of tracking storms as they develop. The reports I am reading make it sound like this storm took Myanmar by surprise. Is weather tracking technology significantly limited in that region? Are there global weather tracking systems that can provide international warnings?
The death count is now greater than 22,000 with 41,000 missing ( CNN News)
Another quote said:
"Timely weather reports were announced and aired" on TV and radio two to three days in advance to keep people "safe and secure," an MRTV anchor reported.
Many of the deaths are attributed to a 12 foot tidal wave.
If find it very ironic that someone named Bush could say anything critical about any other government's response to a colossal storm.
ya i figured that the us would be experts at tracking storms but i guess we are just ok at it!
Kulyas
this is so sad......
man when you have lot of poepl homeless like that its not good.*
I would be so scared. I don't do bad weather at all. that is so sad that all those people died.
Twila Turnage
i feel so sorry for their ppl and their current state their in...but on another note wouldn't it be awsome if u could catch a tornado..that is my dream...
that sucks that ppl dont have a home no more. it makes you think how much we take for granted.
it's sad. i think i heard about this on the news.
Aww man... That sucks...
U Kno Wat Im Sayin!!!
I know its very hard out there... the cyclone corrupts the country, the death count his very high and i know it is still going... my prayers go out to them..
Yadadamean!!!
aww that just so sad and one of my friend is there too!! omg
The New York Times did a media feature about the cyclone and the affected areas and people.
News reports from various sources yesterday and today say that disaster organizations have moved quickly to provide food, medical supplies, and other necessary items, but the government of Myanmar is not allowing aid workers into the country or distribution of the supplies.
In its latest assessment of the scale of the disaster, the U.N. humanitarian agency said between 1.2 million and 1.9 million people were struggling to survive and the number of dead could range from 60,000 to 102,000.
While the government continues to limit aid shipments and entrance visas for aid workers, the UN is now estimating that 2.5 million people are affected by the cyclone. The Red Cross estimates that 128,000 people have already died, and that without immediate aid acute injuries, lack of shelter and food, and water- and mosquito-borne diseases are all potential killers.
The UN is considering air drops of food and other supplies if the Myanmar government doesn't improve access soon.
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