YANGON - A CYCLONE that pounded western Myanmar, destroying buildings and cutting off contact with some areas, weakened on Saturday as it travelled through the country, with no casualties yet reported.
Cyclone Giri raged onto the coast of Rakhine state with winds of up to 193 kilometres (119 miles) per hour on Friday, but was said to have since slowed to around 80 kph, state media said.
An official, who did not want to be named, said communication with the town of Kyaukphyu, in one of the worst-hit parts of Rakhine, was 'very difficult'.
'Many trees were toppled and some buildings were also destroyed. We have not received any casualty reports yet,' he said.
The storm was heading northeast through the central part of the country and is forecast to 'abate into a moderate storm", the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said, quoting the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.
On Friday the Red Cross reported that authorities in Rakhine state had prepared disaster relief camps in preparation for the storm as the Meteorology office predicted sea levels could swell by as much as 3.7 metres (12 feet). -- AFP
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_594394.html
Posts
0 comments