Myanmar

Cyclone death toll goes beyond ten thousand in Myanmar

Article published on the 2008-05-04 Latest update 2008-05-10 07:58 TU

A man walks past an uprooted tree in central Yangon
Photo: Reuters

Some aid is beginning to reach victims of the cyclone which hit Myanmar on Saturday. The official death toll has leapt to at least 15,000. Thousands are also left without homes or electricity in large parts of the south of the country.

Tens of thousands of people have been left homeless following the passage of the cyclone Nargis, which hit southwest Myanmar over the weekend with winds of up to 190 kilometres per hour. The official death toll has been announced at over 10,000 and several thousand are reported to be still missing.

The United States said Monday it would provide an initial sum of $250,000 in aid through its embassy in Myanmar via the World Food Programme and other aid organisations. United Nations agencies and international charities have been meeting to coordinate their relief assistance. It is proving difficult to reach all the affected areas.

The information ministry official said that seven empty boats had sunk in the country's main port, while Yangon's international airport is closed until further notice. The cyclone battered Myanmar's infrastructure which was already in need of repair. The military has ruled the country since 1962.

The cyclone has come just a week before a referendum on a new constitution is to be held. The military government has said that the referendum, which it says will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010, will go ahead as planned on Saturday. Critics of the regime say the new constitution will simply entrench the military's power.