?The terrible cyclone Nargis, occurred over the Bay of Bengal on May 3, 2008 struck Yangon and other parts of Myanmar at wind speeds of about 192 kilometers per hour within a diameter of 240 km. The cyclone had shaken the former capital Yangon for over 10 hours from early Saturday (May 3) to noon. More than 20,000 people have been killed in two divisions of Yangon and Irrawaddy and about 40,000 are still reported missing. The villages are the worst affected where lakhs of people have become homeless. More deaths were caused by the tidal waves than the storm itself. The roads of the city were strewn with uprooted trees and electricity poles while roofless houses were ringed by large sheets of water in the Irrawaddy River delta, regarded as Myanmar'srice bowl.
It is indeed the hour of crisis for the government and the people of Myanmar. Apart from a large geographical common boundary we have cooperation in many areas like trade, commerce, energy etc. Moreover Bharat has a long-standing cultural relationship with Myanmar dating back to 3rd century BC when Buddhism reached Myanmar from Bharat. In view of such age-old bond of a common ethos between the two societies, it is imperative that we stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Myanmar and give wholehearted assistance to the suffering millions.
It is my earnest appeal to the Government of Bharat and all philanthropic persons and institutions to offer all possible aid for relief and rehabilitation activities in terms of medical aid, food, clothing, accommodation apart from monetary help for the affected areas.
I offer my heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost their lives in this cyclone and pray to the Paramatma to alleviate the sufferings of the bereaved families, injured and homeless brethren soon.?
(FOC)
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