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Hundreds dead in Myanmar cyclone disaster
Australian News.Net
Sunday 4th May, 2008
Officials in Myanmar, also known as Burma, say more than 350 people have been killed by a powerful tropical cyclone that slammed into the Irrawaddy delta and the country's main city, Rangoon.
The military government declared Rangoon a disaster area Sunday, as well as five central and southern states, Yangon, Ayeyawaddy, Bago, Mon and Karen. Officials say thousands of homes have been destroyed.
Officials say Cyclone Nargis, with winds of up to 190 kilometers per hour, caused extensive damage in Rangoon and the Irrawaddy delta town of Bassein.
Television footage showed damage to many public and government buildings, roofs blown off buildings, downed trees, and telephone poles blocking roads.
The powerful storm knocked out state-run radio, television, telephone and Internet services.
U.N. officials in neighboring Thailand say local and international relief workers were meeting in Rangoon Sunday to assess the damage.
There is no word whether the storm damage will affect next Saturday's scheduled constitutional referendum.
Myanmar's military rulers have said the vote on May 10 will clear the way for democratic elections in 2010. The opposition says the proposed constitution will reinforce military control.
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