Cyclone Nargis - Myanmar

Citation

(2008), "Cyclone Nargis - Myanmar", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 17 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2008.07317eab.006

Cyclone Nargis - Myanmar

Article Type: News items From: Disaster Prevention and Management, Volume 17, Issue 5

On May 5, Tropical Cyclone Nargis struck the southwest region of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), including the former capital, Yangon, and the rice-producing Irrawaddy Delta. The Category 4 storm battered the region with winds up to 120 miles per hour. A 12-foot storm surge wave caused most of the damage and casualties.

As of May 20, casualties were estimated at more than 77,738 people dead and 55,917 missing, but Western aid workers predicted those numbers could rise sharply. More than 95 percent of the region’s homes were destroyed, and the United Nations estimated that 2.4 million people were affected by the cyclone.

Although aid agencies typically try to deliver relief supplies within 48 hours of a disaster, survivors had seen little evidence of a relief effort a week after the storm struck. Efforts were stalled largely by Myanmar political authorities. Survivors were left to mostly fend for themselves.