SNAPSHOT-Latest developments after Myanmar cyclone
May 6 (Reuters) - Here are the latest developments following Saturday's devastating Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
HEADLINES
- Some 10,000 people were killed in just one town, Bogalay, state television reported.
- Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win told diplomats that the provisional death toll was about 10,000 with 3,000 missing.
- The scale of the disaster has drawn a rare acceptance of outside help from the diplomatically isolated junta, which spurned such approaches after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
- The junta leaders said they would go ahead with a May 10 referendum on a new army-drafted constitution that critics say will entrench the military.
- In Yangon, food and fuel prices soared and aid agencies scrambled to deliver emergency supplies and assess the damage in the five declared disaster zones, home to 24 million people.
- The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar authorised the release of $250,000 in immediate aid. U.S. first lady Laura Bush promised more would be forthcoming but she urged Myanmar to first accept a U.S. disaster response team that so far has been kept out.
- The United Nations said it was pulling out all the stops to send in emergency aid such as food, clean water, blankets and plastic sheeting for shelter.
- India said it would send two Indian naval ships loaded with food, tents, blankets, clothing and medicines soon.
- Cyclone was a Category 3 storm, with winds of 190 km (120 miles) per hour.
QUOTES
"In Irrawaddy division the death toll amounts to more than 10,000. The missing is about 3,000. In Bogalay, the death toll is about 10,000." - Tuesday morning's Myanmar TV broadcast.
"The basic message was that they believe the provisional death toll was about 10,000 with 3,000 missing," a diplomat tells Reuters in Bangkok after a briefing from Foreign Minister Nyan Win. "It's a very serious toll."
"Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state-run media failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path." - Laura Bush says.
"The regime has lost a golden opportunity to send the soldiers as soon as the storm stopped to win the heart and soul of people." - a retired civil servant in Yangon.
"Last time, they came here, just like ants, from where I don't know. Now I can't see any -- no army, no police." - Yangon resident, comparing the reaction of security forces when they cracked down last September on Buddhist monk-led protests against the military junta.
"The government indicated willingness to accept international assistance through the U.N. agencies. I'd say it was a careful green light. The U.N. will begin preparing assistance now to be delivered and transported to Myanmar as quickly as possible." - World Food Programme spokesman Paul Risley.
NEWS > Cyclone kills 10,000 in one Myanmar town, aid pledged[nSP228208] > Cyclone killed 10,000 in just one Myanmar town - TV [nBKK225126] > Time running out for Myanmar survivors - opposition [nN05420325] > Myanmar junta criticised for proceeding with vote [nSP184797] > Laura Bush urges Myanmar to accept US disaster team [nN05419764] > States, aid agencies offer to help storm-hit Myanmar [nSP220346] > India rushes aid to Myanmar, helping warming ties [nDEL190767] > Key facts about Myanmar [nSP183492] > Chronology of major Asian cyclones [nB635562] (World Desk, Singapore +65-6870-3814)
HEADLINES
- Some 10,000 people were killed in just one town, Bogalay, state television reported.
- Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win told diplomats that the provisional death toll was about 10,000 with 3,000 missing.
- The scale of the disaster has drawn a rare acceptance of outside help from the diplomatically isolated junta, which spurned such approaches after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
- The junta leaders said they would go ahead with a May 10 referendum on a new army-drafted constitution that critics say will entrench the military.
- In Yangon, food and fuel prices soared and aid agencies scrambled to deliver emergency supplies and assess the damage in the five declared disaster zones, home to 24 million people.
- The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar authorised the release of $250,000 in immediate aid. U.S. first lady Laura Bush promised more would be forthcoming but she urged Myanmar to first accept a U.S. disaster response team that so far has been kept out.
- The United Nations said it was pulling out all the stops to send in emergency aid such as food, clean water, blankets and plastic sheeting for shelter.
- India said it would send two Indian naval ships loaded with food, tents, blankets, clothing and medicines soon.
- Cyclone was a Category 3 storm, with winds of 190 km (120 miles) per hour.
QUOTES
"In Irrawaddy division the death toll amounts to more than 10,000. The missing is about 3,000. In Bogalay, the death toll is about 10,000." - Tuesday morning's Myanmar TV broadcast.
"The basic message was that they believe the provisional death toll was about 10,000 with 3,000 missing," a diplomat tells Reuters in Bangkok after a briefing from Foreign Minister Nyan Win. "It's a very serious toll."
"Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state-run media failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path." - Laura Bush says.
"The regime has lost a golden opportunity to send the soldiers as soon as the storm stopped to win the heart and soul of people." - a retired civil servant in Yangon.
"Last time, they came here, just like ants, from where I don't know. Now I can't see any -- no army, no police." - Yangon resident, comparing the reaction of security forces when they cracked down last September on Buddhist monk-led protests against the military junta.
"The government indicated willingness to accept international assistance through the U.N. agencies. I'd say it was a careful green light. The U.N. will begin preparing assistance now to be delivered and transported to Myanmar as quickly as possible." - World Food Programme spokesman Paul Risley.
NEWS > Cyclone kills 10,000 in one Myanmar town, aid pledged[nSP228208] > Cyclone killed 10,000 in just one Myanmar town - TV [nBKK225126] > Time running out for Myanmar survivors - opposition [nN05420325] > Myanmar junta criticised for proceeding with vote [nSP184797] > Laura Bush urges Myanmar to accept US disaster team [nN05419764] > States, aid agencies offer to help storm-hit Myanmar [nSP220346] > India rushes aid to Myanmar, helping warming ties [nDEL190767] > Key facts about Myanmar [nSP183492] > Chronology of major Asian cyclones [nB635562] (World Desk, Singapore +65-6870-3814)
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