Human consequences
Hundreds of thousands of people left without shelter, clean water or food.
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Hurricane & cycloneCyclone Nargis
138,000Deaths
Not quantifiedDisplaced / homeless
$10bnEstimated cost
- About 138,000 dead and missing.
- About 10 billion dollars in damage.
A Category 4 cyclone moves up the densely populated Irrawaddy delta with a storm surge of about 4 m. The loss of mangroves makes the flooding worse.
Consequences
Environmental consequences
The rice fields of Burma’s “rice bowl” are salinised.
Economic consequences
Crops and livestock in the country’s main farming region are lost.
Political consequences
The military junta delays international aid for weeks and holds a constitutional referendum one week after the disaster.
Further reading
Similar disasters
- Typhoon HaiyanHurricane & cyclone · Philippines2013
- Bhola cycloneHurricane & cyclone · East Pakistan (today’s Bangladesh)1970
- Hurricane MitchHurricane & cyclone · Central America1998
- Hurricane KatrinaHurricane & cyclone · United States2005
In the rankings : The deadliest hurricanes and cyclones No. 2
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