Deadly cyclone devastates Myanmar biggest city

www.chinaview.cn 2008-05-03 16:24:46

YANGON, May 3 (Xinhua) -- A deadly cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, has almost totally devastated Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, with lots of trees on streets and roofs of many buildings being torn down Saturday.

Having hit Yangon for over 10 hours since Friday midnight until Saturday noon, the unprecedented violent cyclone has resulted in an inestimable loss of the properties, eyewitnesses said.

Roads were blocked by fallen big trees and the city's traffic were paralyzed. Electric cable wire and telephone lines were also brought down. The mobile access was also in trouble. All flights have been canceled.

Numerous vehicles parking on the streets were pressed to deformation by fallen trees.

Government and public buildings were severely damaged, with a large number of commercial signboards set up in the public areas and in front of their respective shops blown off. Nearly all satellite dishes erected at top of the roofs by the public and individuals were crushed to pieces.

The Nargis, had lashed Haing Gyi Island, coastal region of the country's southwestern Ayeyawaddy division, since Friday morning, the State Meteorology Department said.

The wind speed was once as high as up to 192 km per hour, while it was 120 km per hour when the cyclone swept across some main regions such as Pathein, Myaungmya, Laputta, Mawlamyinegyun, Kyongmange, Bogalay, Chaungtha, Ngwesaung, Tharyawaddy and Gwa.

Posted in: Myanmar News,Myanmar Weather News,News