Violent Cyclone tears off roofs, uproots trees and knocks out electricity in much of Yangon
Pastor Dale Morgan
Violent Cyclone tears off roofs, uproots trees and knocks out
electricity in much of Yangon*
AP
YANGON, Myanmar - A tropical cyclone packing 120-mile per hour winds
caused heavy damage in Yangon early Saturday, tearing off roofs,
uprooting trees and knocking out electricity in much of the country's
commercial capital, an official said.
The official from the country's Meteorology Department, who spoke
anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said he
expects deaths and injuries from Saturday's storm, which passed through
the city at about 5 a.m. local time.
However, he did not immediately have any figures.
"The cyclone wreaked havoc in Yangon and the Irrawaddy delta town of
Bassein," said the official. The town is 99 miles west of Yangon. "The
damage will be extensive as the cyclone passed through many densely
populated areas."
Witnesses said the streets were empty in Yangon on Saturday morning and
most shops and markets were closed. The reemains of rooftops littered
the street alongside trees and other debris, they said.
The only deaths linked to the bad weather so far happened late Friday
when three women drowned while trying to cross a canal on the Yangon
River in Yangon, according to dock workers. The workers refused to be
identified for fear of government reprisals. The women's boat capsized
in rough waters and heavy winds, the workers said.
The meteorological bureau warned Friday that tropical cyclone Nargis,
originating in the Bay of Bengal, could hit the coast near Yangon.
Yangon is in the Irrawaddy River delta, a low-lying area prone to flooding.
It said that winds could be as high as 120-150 mph, and tides could rise
as much as 12 feet above normal.