Devastation in Burma · Issue 869, by James Hinks

On May 2, Burma was hit by a devastating cyclone, which has left the Irrawaddy Delta under water, destroyed Ragoon (the largest city) and left 22,000 dead and 41,000 missing.

The situation is becoming increasingly dire as poor access and lack of supplies mean that the secondary effects of the cyclone are inevitably going to increase the death toll. Moreover, the effects of cyclone Nargis may be exacerbated by the insular nature of the Burmese government who fear he mass intrusion by foreign nations may impede some of the international aid.

The cyclone is the second deadliest cyclone of all time after Typhoon Nina; it hit Burma with wind speeds of 165km/h and brought a 3m tidal wave that engulfed lower lying villages. The cyclone crossed Burma picking up pace, reaching peak wind speeds of 215km/h, eventually imploding and dissipating on the Burma Thailand border.

The tragic statistics are indicating that the effects of cyclone Nargis could be similar to that of the Indian Tsunami. Some foreign aid workers believe the final death toll could be near 100,000, because millions are homeless and without basic facilities, resulting in starvation, disease and illness.

The Burmese Government Junta are under major scrutiny from charities, governments and their people, who believe that the warning system was inadequate and that the government acted passively and in some cases criminally in the immediate aftermath of cyclone Nargis.

It has been reported in Thailand that prisoners in Burma were shot by the guards as they tried to escape from the flooding. The Junta Government has also not implemented a sufficient system to get rid of all the dead bodies. They have been left strewn across streets and in the delta. This is not only traumatising for the public but also a major threat of the spreading disease.

UN’s humanitarian chief John Holmes has said that the Burmese Government are “moving in the right direction” as more and more aid is allowed to the disaster zones.

Cyclone Nargis has already been a major humanitarian catastrophe, and many hope that the Burmese government can put ‘politics’ aside and allow for international unity to shoulder the burden needed to benefit and rescue a forlorn and devastated nation.