Cyclone Nargis Kills 15,00 in Burma

06 May 2008

Burma's military government says more than 15,000 people may have died during Cyclone Nargis, which hit the nation on Saturday.

Tropical Cyclone Nargis

Officials gave the revised estimate Monday, as information continued to come in from outlying areas.

Officials say thousands of other people are missing, while hundreds of thousands are without shelter. The prices of food and fuel have risen dramatically. The government has declared the city of Rangoon and five central and southern states, Yangon, Ayeyawaddy, Bago, Mon and Karen disaster areas.

Some witnesses of the devastation have complained that the government is not doing enough to help survivors of the storm.

And a human rights group said today that guards at Burma's Insein prison killed 36 inmates in a prison riot after the cyclone. The Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said the riot started after some inmates tried to light a fire to keep warm.

Despite the upheaval, Burma's military government says a constitutional referendum will go ahead Saturday.

In a statement carried by state media Monday, the government said the referendum is only a few days away and the people are eagerly looking forward to voting.

Burma's military rulers have said the vote on May 10 will clear the way for democratic elections in 2010. The opposition says the proposed constitution will reinforce military control.

Burma's military government has told foreign officials and aid organizations that it will accept their help in recovering from Saturday's devastating cyclone.

However, a spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Elisabeth Byrs, says it still is not clear how aid can be delivered to victims. A U.N. official on Monday estimated that several hundred-thousand people will need drinking water, shelter and other assistance.

The United Nations Children's Fund already has deployed several teams in Burma to assess victims' needs, and the International Red Cross has begun providing some food, water and shelter.

The United States and several European (Britain, Germany, Norway, Sweden) and Asian (India, Japan, Singapore, Thailand) countries have offered assistance. The European Union has pledged $3 million for disaster relief efforts.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said Monday that the United Nations is committed to providing whatever assistance Burma needs.

Mr. Ban said he is very much alarmed by news of the rising death toll from the cyclone. His chief of staff met with Burma's ambassador to the U.N. Monday to discuss assistance. A U.N. disaster relief team has been mobilized and is ready to be sent to Burma.

Officials and aid workers have put out the call for plastic sheeting, water purification tablets, cooking equipment and mosquito nets.

A State Department spokesman said Monday the U.S. embassy in Burma has authorized the immediate release of $250,000 for disaster assistance. The spokesman said a disaster assistance response team is standing by and ready to go into Burma, but has not yet received permission from Burmese authorities.

The U.S. aid is being sent to the World Food Program and other aid groups, rather than directly to the military government in Burma, which is subject to U.S. sanctions.