YANGON, Myanmar (CNN) -- The death toll from the cyclone that ravaged
the Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar may exceed 100,000, the senior U.S.
diplomat in the military-ruled country said Wednesday.
"The information we are receiving indicates over 100,000 deaths," said
the U.S. charge d'affaires in Yangon, Shari Villarosa.
The U.S. figure is almost five times the 22,000 the Myanmar government
has estimated.
The U.S. estimate is based on data from an international
non-governmental organization, Villarosa said without naming the
group. She called the situation in Myanmar "more and more horrendous."
"I think most of the damage was caused by these 12-foot storm surges,"
she said.
Villarosa also said that about 95 percent of the buildings in the
delta region were destroyed when Cyclone Nargis battered the area late
Friday into Saturday.
Based on the same data, 70,000 people are missing in the Irrawaddy
Delta, which has a population of nearly 6 million people, Villarosa
said. The official Myanmar government figure for the missing is
41,000.
Villarosa said, "I can only assume that the longer the delay, the more
victims that are created."
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Unholy crap !!! This is getting into the area of what
the mega-tsunami did a couple of years ago ... but all
in one country.
And after the diseases and hunger kick in ... add another
25,000 or so ?
Seems like the government doesn't give a damn - would
rather keep outsiders away so they don't give anyone
ideas ..... kinda the N.Korean philosophy .......
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