At least 15,000 killed in violent cyclone in Myanmar

Source: Xinhua | 05-06-2008 08:34

YANGON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 15,000 people have been killed in two divisions of Yangon and Ayeyawaddy in a violent cyclone storm Nargis that swept Myanmar's five divisions and states on last Friday and Saturday, according to official sources Monday evening.

A man walks past an uprooted tree in central Yangon on May 4, 2008, a day after the former capital was hit by a cyclone. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

It is estimated that the casualties in Ayeyawaddy division's Bogalay alone will exceed 10,000 and at least 1,000 in Laputta in the same division.

Earlier official figures show that 3,880 people were killed in Ayeyawaddy division including 20 in Bogalay and excluding Laputta, and 59 in Yangon division.

The sources said that 2,375 people in Ayeyawaddy division and 504 in Yangon division are missing.

In Haing Kyi island in the Ayeyawaddy division alone, nearly 20,000 houses were destroyed, leaving 92,706 people homeless, earlier report said.

The deadly cyclone, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states -- Yangon, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Kayin and Mon.

Myanmar has declared the five divisions and states as disaster-hit regions.

The government has formed a national central committee for prevention of natural disaster to promptly and effectively carry out relief and resettlement tasks.

Editor:Xiong Qu