Junta May Seek International Aid

Many towns and small villages in Irrawaddy Division of Burma are flattened. Bodies lie in masses. In some areas, it's hard to tell a village had ever been there.

The official death toll released on Monday was nearly 4,000 people dead and 3,000 people missing.

The number of dead will likely continue to rise. Several hundred thousand people are believed to be homeless in the wake of Cyclone Nargis’ deadly path, based on reports from local residents contacted by The Irrawaddy on Monday.

Reports on Monday indicate the reclusive military junta might seek outside aid from international organizations and neighboring countries. Thailand officials said they are preparing to send relief supplies and construction equipment, according to CNN.

There were no official estimates of the number of people who were injured or homeless.

Nearly 98,000 people are homeless on Haing Gyi Island in the Irrawaddy Delta alone, state-run media said.

The towns of Bogalay, Laputta and Patanaw in Irrawaddy Division are destroyed, said local residents.

A resident who returned from Laputta told The Irrawaddy on Monday, “It was terrible. I saw 15 villages totally blown away. We can’t even find pieces of houses, and in some cases people’s bodies. Many bodies were found in different areas.” 

A local resident, Kyi Win, said, “There is no aid. Residents are struggling to find drinking water and food by themselves.” 

A resident of Bogalay Township in Irrawaddy Division said, “Five hundred bodies have been found so far. Mondine Gyi and Mondine Nge villages and many others in Bogalay Township are totally destroyed.”

In Pegu Division, which was declared a disaster zone, Pegu Township was severely damaged along with other townships in the area, according to residents there. At least 400 people are homeless in Pegu Township and at least 80 houses were totally destroyed, said residents.

According to local sources, in Kyaikdehyone village in Pegu Township an estimated 500 people are homeless and 100 homes were destroyed; in Yetachar village, 250 people are homeless; in Thanatbin Township an estimated 400 people are homeless and 300 homes were destroyed. No estimates of dead or injured were available, and there was no way to confirm the sources’ estimates of damage.

A resident in Pegu Township said, “Some 50 electricity poles and 300 trees fell down. The electricity is off. Many homeless have taken shelter in No1 State High School and local monasteries. Local residents are sharing food.”

Some sources in Pegu estimated that 60 percent of Pegu Division was severely damaged.

Storm victims in the Irrawaddy Delta have yet to receive any aid from the Burmese government or non-governmental organizations, said one source, who asked not to be identified. Residents are banding together to survive, he said, but it is hard to find safe drinking water.

In Rangoon, basic commodity prices including rice, cooking oil, candles and vegetables have doubled in some cases, if they can be found.

Sources said a pack of candles that cost 500 kyat was 1,000 kyat (US $0.90) on Monday. One egg is more than 300 kyat (0.26 cent), and one viss (1.6 kilograms) of cooking oil is now 5,000 kyat ($4) compared to 3,200 kyat ($2.4) earlier.

Looters stole food from Thirimingalar market in Kyeemyindine Township in Rangoon, said a local resident.

Meanwhile, London-based Burma Campaign UK released a statement on Saturday criticizing Burma’s military regime for failing to give adequate warning to the population and to provide aid to the victims.

“This is yet another example of how the regime ignores the welfare of the people of Burma,” Mark Farmaner, the director of  Burma Campaign UK, said in a statement.

“Initial indications are that this cyclone has caused severe damage and that many thousands of people will need assistance. The regime won’t look after people and instead is likely to block delivery of aid. The international community must stand up to the regime and insist that aid is allowed to be delivered to those in need."

According to UN officials in Rangoon, the water supply is unfit to drink in the aftermath of the destruction, raising fears of water-borne diseases.

"It's clear that this is a major disaster," Richard Horsey of the United Nations disaster response office in Bangkok, told Reuters.

"How many people are affected? We know that it's in the six figures.