UN Secretary General releases new statement as UN aid starts to reach Myanmar

Thursday, May 8, 2008 

Cyclone Nargis

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• 24 May 2008: Myanmar to allow foreign aid says UN's Ban Ki Moon
• 16 May 2008: Official Myanmar death toll increases to 78,000
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Related links

• Tropical cyclone on Wikipedia
• 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
• Background on Burma
• Wiktionary's definition of a cyclone

Aid from the United Nations has started to reach Myanmar after a recent cyclone in the region killed tens of thousands.

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon released a statement regarding the delivery of aid to Myanmar:

The Secretary-General is very concerned about the continuing tragedy in Myanmar, where the Government has confirmed that over 22,000 people have died and more than 41,000 people are missing following Cyclone Nargis on 2-3 May. Initial estimates suggest that up to 1 million people are currently homeless and many more require assistance

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Government officials in Myanmar have said that 22,464 people have been confirmed dead from Cyclone Nargis.

Only once rescue workers reached the hardest hit areas of the storm did they begin to realize the extent of damage that had occurred. At least 10,000 people died in one town alone, Bogalay in the Pyapon District of the country.

The United Nations has reported that one million people are homeless, or in need of help in some other way.

Sources

• Ban Ki-moon. "SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES MYANMAR GOVERNMENT TO EASE ARRIVAL OF AID WORKERS" — United Nations, May 8, 2008
• "UN aid flights to Burma under way" — BBC News Online, May 8, 2008
• "Myanmar state radio says cyclone death toll soars above 22,000" — Associated Press, May 6, 2008
• "Cyclone in Myanmar kills at least 15,000" — United Press international, May 5, 2008
• Aung Hla Tun. "Myanmar says cyclone death toll 15,000 and set to rise" — Washington Post, May 5, 2008