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Sat, 05:48 11 Oct 2008 GMT17

 
Myanmar cyclone

Last reviewed: 01-08-2008

WORST ASIAN CYCLONE SINCE 1991


Cyclone Nargis swept across Myanmar on May 2 and 3, triggering a huge sea surge and leaving around 138,000 dead or missing, according to official figures.

  • At least 138,000 dead or missing
  • Hundreds of thousands still lack clean water
  • Damage estimated at $4 billion

    The United Nations says up to 2.4 million survivors are struggling to rebuild their lives in Yangon and the Irrawaddy Delta, the worst affected area.

    Three months after the cyclone, a joint assessment by the United Nations, Myanmar and Southeast Asian governments said three-quarters of households still had inadequate access to clean drinking water, making water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentry a constant threat.

    More than 40 percent of people were found to have little or no food, having lost their stocks in the storm.

    The country's ruling generals, who have a deep mistrust of the outside world, were slow to allow international aid flights to land and reluctant to let foreign aid workers into the country.

    After three weeks, Myanmar's junta eventually agreed to admit aid workers "regardless of nationalities" after talks between U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and junta supremo Than Shwe. They also agreed to let Yangon airport be used as a logistical hub for distribution of aid.

    The military government has agreed to let the World Food Programme airlift supplies into the delta and allow in some medical teams from countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

    Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu informed a meeting of government and foreign aid workers in late June that 84,537 were dead and 53,836 missing.

    To put that in perspective, the colossal Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 claimed around 230,000 lives.

    Most of Myanmar's casualties were killed by a 12-foot (3.5 metre) wall of water that hit the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta along with 190 kph (120 mph) winds. The dead include 10,000 who perished in just one town, Bogalay, 90 km (50 miles) southwest of Yangon.

    The cyclone is the worst to hit Asia since 1991, when 143,000 people died in Bangladesh.

    A joint assessment carried out by Myanmar's government, the U.N. and ASEAN estimated the damage at $4 billion. The July report also says that 700,000 people were displaced by Nargis, although most of them have since returned home.

    Diarrhoea, dysentery and skin infections afflicted some survivors crammed into monasteries, schools and other buildings after arriving in towns that were on the breadline even before the disaster.

    The homeless are clamouring to get into privately run shelters rather than government-run camps. In Bogalay, people have complained of forced labour and low supplies of food at the state-run centres.

    Aid agencies operating in the country say they have been limited in where they can travel. Extensive flooding in the delta and destroyed or damaged roads have also made it difficult to reach survivors.

    The ruling generals insist their relief operation ran smoothly, and say they've moved on to the reconstruction phase.

    Frustrated by the speed of the official response, ordinary people have sent trucks and vans into the delta with clothes, biscuits, dried noodles and rice provided by private companies and individuals. With almost total distrust of the government, private aid is being left for distribution by Buddhist monks, who have immense moral authority.

    The authorities have said legal action will be taken against anybody found hoarding or selling relief supplies, amid rumours of local military units expropriating trucks of food, blankets and water.

    There has been strong international criticism over the junta's initial reluctance to let in outside help.

    Before his breakthrough deal with the junta, Ban said aid workers had only been able to reach around a quarter of those in need.

    Donor countries pledged nearly $50 million in aid at a joint U.N. and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) donor conference in Yangon on May 25. But some countries, including the United States, said help was conditional on the junta allowing in foreign teams to assess the needs for themselves.

    The junta has accepted relief flights into Yangon from many countries, including the United States, its fiercest critic. But it rejected offers of French and American ships delivering aid. Than Shwe has, however, said Myanmar is open to receiving relief supplies and equipment from civilian ships and small boats.

    Despite the cyclone, the junta went ahead with a referendum on May 10 on a new constitution - part of the army's much-criticised "roadmap to democracy", and said 92 percent voted in favour. The opposition and Western governments say it is a blueprint for the generals to cement their grip on power. Myanmar has been ruled by a military junta since 1962. The referendum was postponed by a fortnight in areas hit by the cyclone.

    In July, the United Nations appealed for more than $300 million in additional aid to cope with the effects of the cyclone. U.N. humanitarian affairs chief John Holmes said the cyclone had destroyed 42 percent of Myanmar's food stocks.

    Some analysts have said the disaster could have political fallout for the regime, which prides itself on its ability to cope with any challenge.

    For more background on the country see Myanmar troubles.


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