Cyclone kills hundreds and paralyzes Myanmar

Powerful tropical cyclone Nargis hits Myanmar

The powerful tropical cyclone Nargis has killed at least 351 people in Myanmar (Burma) and damaged thousands of buildings. The death toll is expected to rise further.

In this photo released by Democratic Voice of Burma, damaged satellite dishes are seen on the roof of a residential building, and tree branches broken after tropical cyclone Nargis hit Yangon, Myanmar, on Friday May 2, 2008. A Myanmar official says that a tropical cyclone packing winds of 190 kilometers per hour (120 miles) caused heavy damage in Yangon, tearing off roofs and knocking out electricity in much of the country’s commercial capital. (Caption AP. Photo: Democratic voice of Burma)

Villages in the Irrawaddy delta have been flattened by 190km-per-hour wind, rain and storm surge. Forecasters said the tide would rise by as much as 4 meters above the normal levels. In Irrawaddy’s Labutta township about 20,000 homes have been destroyed and 90,000 people made homeless on the island alone, a government official said.

The government has declared five states as disaster zones. Much of the former capital Yangon (Rangoon) is without power or water. All flight from Yangon’s international airport have been canceled.

A Yangon resident was reported as saying: “Everything was wrecked. Roofs of the houses and satellite dishes were blown away.” A foreign diplomat called the city an “utter war zone”.

Less than a day after cyclone Nargis struck the area, price of food items such as meat, eggs, milk and vegetables was more than doubled.

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• Cyclone kills at least 351 in Myanmar, state-run TV reports
• Cyclone kills over 350 in Myanmar