Myanmar cyclone death toll rises to 23,335

Source: Xinhua | 05-10-2008 09:49

YANGON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of Myanmar's cyclone disaster rose by 338 to 23,335 from 22,997, according to a news report of the state radio Friday evening.

Photo taken on May 7, 2008 shows an aerial view of a  badly stricken village in Irrawaddy, Myanmar. International relief aid from Japan, Bangladesh, Laos, China, Thailand, India and Singapore has been poured in Myanmar till  Wednesday for the country's storm victims, according to Myanmar's state radio, and there will be more in future. Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar on May 2 and 3 leaving about 22,000 people dead and 41,000 missing.  (Xinhua/Burma News Agency)

Altogether 37,019 people remained missing, down from 42,119, the report said, adding that the number of the injured stood 1,403.

A deadly tropical cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states including Yangon, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Kayin and Mon in the last weekend, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon sustained the heaviest casualties and infrastructure damage.

Myanmar declared the five divisions and states as natural-disaster-hit regions a day after the cyclone hit the country.

However, Bago, Mon and Kayin as well as some five townships of Yangon division and 19 townships of Ayeyawaddy division were withdrawn from being the natural-disaster-hit areas status on Tuesday with a claim that these areas have basically returned to normal.

A total of 40 townships in Yangon division and 7 townships in Ayeyawaddy division have still remained as the natural-disaster-hit areas status. Relief and rehabilitation works are underway in these areas.

Editor:Liu Fang