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India alerted Myanmar 36 hrs before Nargis struck
Published on Fri, May 09, 2008 at 08:26, Updated at Fri, May 09, 2008 in World section
Tags: Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar , New Delhi
GRIM WARNING: India's Met Deptt sent regular updates about Nargis' progress to all the countries on its path.
Other stories in the section:
Indian team of armed medical personnel land in Yangon
The team is expected to be deployed in the cyclone hit Irrawaddy delta.
New Delhi: After international criticism over aid politics, Myanmar – battered by Cyclone Nargis – has come under more flak.
India says its Meteorological Department had warned Yangon about the approaching disaster 36 hours before it struck.
The Met Department had first detected a depression in the Bay of Bengal on April 28 and kept a close watch on it.
They then sent regular updates about its progress to all the countries on its path, says Met spokesperson BP Yadav.
"This information that the system is of this much intensity and will go towards Myanmar and will cross at such and such time with such and such intensity was given to them on the morning of May 1, that's about 36 hours in advance,” he says.
IANS adds: UN urges Myanmar to accept aid
The UN expressed disappointment on Thursday at the mostly silent response from Myanmar's military junta to the global outpouring of generosity following the destruction and death toll inflicted by Cyclone Nargis.
Myanmar has not completely waived visa requirements to foreign aid workers ready to bring much needed relief goods to the more than one million people severely affected by the cyclone, said John Holmes, the UN undersecretary general for emergency humanitarian assistance.
The Myanmar government has also not clearly answered queries by the UN as to whether the relief goods would be exempted from customs charges. In addition, it was demanding that foreign relief workers be escorted.
"I am disappointed by the progress received since yesterday (Wednesday), a little of progress as I said, but nothing like as much as needed given the desperate situation," Holmes told reporters.
The UN echoed the frustration of willing contributors of aid, saying that Myanmar has been slow to welcome and accept international aid.
US Ambassador Zalway Khalilzad said his government was "outraged" by the slow pace of humanitarian delivery to those in need in Myanmar.
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