One doctor in the town of Labutta said people clung to trees in a desperate fight for survival.

In Bogalay town alone, 10,000 people were killed, according to a town-by-town list of casualties and damage announced by the reclusive military government.

Political analysts and critics of 46 years of military rule say the cyclone may have long-term implications for the junta, which is even more feared and resented since last September’s bloody crackdown on Buddhist monk-led protests.

cyclone nargis

How it formed?

1. Cluster of thunderstorm gathers to form a low-pressure area, which draws in air and generates spin in a counter clockwise direction.

2. Warm ocean water fuels the transfer of heat and moisture to generate thunderstorms that rise upward.

3. Wind speed reaches over 120 km/h and a distinct eye forms in the centre. It starts moving towards land or cool water.

What are CYCLONES?

In meteorology, a tropical cyclone is a type of low pressure system which generally forms in the tropics. They are atmospheric circulation systems, which move heat from the equatorial region towards the higher latitudes

When do they occur?

• In the North Indian basin, storms are most common from April to December

• In the North Atlantic, June 1 to November 30, sharply peaking from late August through September

• The Northwest Pacific sees tropical cyclones year-round

What are they called?

• Cyclonic storm: In the North Indian Ocean (Myanmar, India, Bangladesh etc.)

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