Deadly TC Nargis, One Year Later

It was the worst natural disaster ever to befall Mynmar (Burma) with a deathtoll of at least 146,000. And it ranks among the top ten deadliest tropicalcyclones historically. It was one year ago, May 2, 2008, that Tropical CycloneNargis swept over the Ayayerawady (Irrawaddy) River Delta and into the capitalcity, Yangon (Rangoon).Before reaching its landfall, Nargis held storm status as high as a Category4 hurricane at the time of maximum strength, as sustained winds reached 135mph.

The severe loss of life was the result of a track parallel to, roughlyalong, the shore of the river delta. This allowed the storm to hold its severestrength across the felt breadth of the massive delta. Severe tidal floodingswept inland along tidal fingers for many tens of miles making drowning by farthe primary cause of storm deaths.