More Grim News from Myanmar

The bad news continues to come out of Myanmar five days after Cyclone Nargis struck land. Due to the lack of cooperation by the Myanmar government, estimating the death toll has been incredibly difficult. I have seen new reports ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 people killed. Due to the wind speed and direction you can see how the estuaries of Yangon and Bogalay were pummeled by this storm. The entire rice harvest has been reportedly lost as well.

Before I post the following I must say that these opinions are not mine, but are by Chris Burt, who is author of the book "Extreme Weather". This is a man who has been visiting Myanmar every year for 30 years. This is his insight on the situation there:
"Note this: No word yet about casualties from the Mon or Karen States; those areas not in the Delta region but to the SE of Rangoon where a major storm surge and flooding from rains may have occurred.

The government considers these areas 'minority states' and these states have traditionally been looked down upon by ethnic Burmese, They are heavily populated. I will bet they will be the last areas to receive aid, and the last regions from which we hear news so far as storm damage is concerned.

I might add this is indicative of just how bad the situation in Burma is. People who are not aware of the isolation of Myanmar, one of the largest most populated countries in the world, will not be able to grasp the gravity of this disaster. It is a country under the thumb of complete ignorants: the leaders of this county have NEVER traveled outside of Burma before. They have no education whatsoever. They live in a dream world of astrology and have maintained their control by funneling all the nation's vast resources to crony patronage and the military. China is their only steadfast friend in the international arena. Even Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and India who do business with this regime do so at hands length.

If you can understand what I am saying here you will understand just how bad the situation is."