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A satellite image of Cyclone Nargis nearing
the coast of Bangladesh.
the coast of Bangladesh.
Myanmar Cyclone Death Toll More Than 22,000
by
findingDulcinea Staff
If the number of fatalities is confirmed, Cyclone Nargis would be the second-deadliest storm in history. Some say such extreme weather is indicative of climate change.
30-Second Summary
The Myanmar Foreign Ministry upped the national death toll Tuesday to more than 22,000 from yesterday’s number of around 10,000. Hundreds of thousands more are homeless and without potable water. The towns of Bogalay and Laputta in the country’s low-lying Irawaddy Delta have particularly sustained damage, with much of the population of the former reported missing.
Five regions of Myanmar have been declared disaster zones. Gas prices quadrupled to $2.69 per liter on the black market over the weekend. The ruling junta announced that it will postpone a referendum—originally scheduled for Saturday—in the hardest-hit areas of the country.A local man who wished to remain anonymous accused Myanmar’s ruling junta of inaction in the face of the crisis. "Where are all those uniformed people who are always ready to beat civilians? They should come out in full force and help clean up the areas and restore electricity," he said to the Associated Press.
Myanmar state television reported Sunday that 109 of the victims lived on the island of Haing Gyi.
In the capital city, Yangon, Chris Kaye, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator, said, "The Irrawaddy delta was hit extremely hard not only because of the wind and rain but because of the storm surge."
Forecast Earth argues that while the recent spate of severe weather, including extreme cold in Chicago and Afghanistan, may seem part of a normal cycle to some, it could be a sign of climate change.
Low-altitude areas such as the Irawaddy delta are in particular danger. Bangladesh, much of which is river delta, reported 4,000 residents either dead or missing in the aftermath of last November's Cyclone Sidr.
The Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu is in danger of complete submersion. Its highest elevation is 3.7 meters above high tide. Rising sea levels caused one high tide to push pollutedwater into residences in Funafuti, the capital city. Researcher Mark Hayes reports, "Some locals told how they'd caught tilapia fish washed into their kitchens."
Headline Links: Cyclone hits Myanmar, international aid groups ask for assistance
Naing Aung, leader of junta resistance group Forum for Democracy in Burma, called on the military to allow international aid groups to operate freely in the country. "The military regime is ill-prepared to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone," said Aung.
Source: International Herald Tribune (Associated Press)
World Vision, a private international aid agency, told the AP that Myanmar's government authorized the shipment of "zinc sheets, tents, tarpaulins and medicine."
Source: ABC News (AP)
The death toll from the cyclone in Burma has surpassed 10,000, said Foreign Minister Nyan Win. “If the toll is confirmed, Nargis is now the world's deadliest storm since a 1999 cyclone in India killed 10,000 people,” according to The BBC.
Source: The BBC
The BBC reported an updated death toll of 22,000 on Tuesday and that an additional 41,000 have been reported missing.
Source: The BBC
Background: Weather patterns and low-lying areas
Forecast Earth's news coverage illustrates some of the most troubling and devastating weather patterns of the past few seasons. Snowstorms in Illinois, a brutal winter in Afghanistan, and wildfires in California are just three examples of recent weather conditions around the world. While these may seem normal, the effects of weather are varied and unique; many of them serve as case studies for a changing planet.
Source: Forecast Earth
After intense flooding in South Asia in August 2007, The New York Times reported that "freak rains, which scientists describe as a hallmark of climate change, seemed to be responsible." Thousands of impoverished residents living in mud houses were left homeless and weather scientists said that South Asia could expect "much more unpredictable rain in the coming decades."
Source: The New York Times
In November 2007, Cyclone Sidr became "the worst storm to hit Bangladesh in more than a decade," leaving 4,000 people either dead or missing.
Source: NPR
A 2002 photo spread from In Vision Images showed Bangladeshi people living their lives amidst "the harmful consequences of climatic reheating." At the time, many people from the district of Sakhira had been driven from their homes by flooding and migrated to Dhaka, the capital and financial center of Bangladesh.
Source: In Vision Images
Human-induced damage to the water table and rising sea levels have given way to flooding in the tiny Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu. Australian researcher Mark Hayes describes the effects of high tide on Funafuti, the capital. "With a slightly higher tide peaking at over 3.2 meters just before 5:00 p.m., polluted water flooded into their homes, and they were evacuated by the Red Cross ... Some locals told how they'd caught tilapia fish washed into their kitchens." The highest elevation on the main island is 3.7 meters above high tide.
Source: TuvaluIslands.com
Reference: Research on weather patterns
In its semiannual publication "World Climate Review," the World Meteorological Organization outlines recent weather patterns around the world and discusses their impact and causes. The review is available for free as a PDF on the WMO's site.
Source: World Meteorological Organization
Read findingDulcinea's series of articles on weather for more information about weather and climate.
Source: Nature Wages War
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