Burma's Cyclone Nargis

Cyclone Nargis occurred in the bay of Bengal affecting Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and most devastatingly, Myanmar (Burma). It struck in early May 2008, bringing with it winds of up to 165km/hr and devastation of thousands of homes as well as the destruction of the Burmese capital city Yangon. The official death toll was over 20 000, however, it has been suggested that this figure is extremely conservative with estimates of closer to 100 000.

Despite the devastating impact of Nargis on Myanmar, international offers of Aid were declined by the Myanmar Government. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner claimed that the Myanmar Government refused international help, insisting instead that any funds were to be given to the government for distribution. This decision was met with international condemnation; however, nearly 2 weeks after the cyclone struck international relief work began, prompting praise from the United Nations.

 

One of the reasons the effects of Cyclone Nargis were so catastrophic was that it approached through the Bay of Bengal, striking low lying, coastal areas. The Cyclones’ force was effectively transferred into the surrounding oceans of the Bay of Bengal causing massive storm surges, similar to those carried out by Katrina.