Affected area

Bay of Bengal- hurricane prone area Northeastern Indian Ocean Warm waters -> evapouration -> clouds Extreme low pressure -> depression

formed.

April 27th: developed as a depression April 28th: category 1 cyclonic storm Dry air weakened it May 1st: rapidly intensified eastward May 2nd: category 4, peak winds of 215km/h May 2nd evening: made landfall in southern Burma, gradually

weakened May 3rd: quickly weakened further and deteriorated

Strong winds Storm surge (across the Ayeyarwardy

delta) LEDC so weren’t well prepared Heavy rainfall

84, 537 confirmed dead, 53,836 still missing

2-3 million homeless 700,000 homes blown away in

Ayeyarwardy delta ¾ livestock killed Salted a million acres of rice paddies Sewage mains burst Cost of damage= US$4 billion

Local fishing industry crippled and “rubber trees” destroyed- unemployment

Psychological damages- particularly children Food shortages before aid was accepted Health and sanitary problems due to lack of

government clean-up support: broken pipes contaminated water supplies, disease spread (75% hospitals wiped out)

Education problems (50% schools wiped out)

Prediction: Thai meteorological agencies warned Burmese government- ignored. Joint Typhoon Warning Centre- thought it would hit as a category 1 or 2 cyclone but it suddenly intensified.

Protection: No emergency plans, no evacuation as Burmese weather forecasters announced it would not hit.

Preparation: None, poor so fragile housing, coast was not protected and was very vulnerable.

LEDC= little knowledge, poor infrastructure and uneducated on it’s severity

Early warning system to help prepare population

Build dykes and shelters for protection Strict and organised evacuation regime Immediate government clean up plan (to

prevent disease spreading) Avoid building housing in the delta- high

risk flooding areas Start a programme to educate people

about cyclones and emergency practices.