Cyclone Mala batters Myanmar
More than 150 buildings damaged, electricity knocked out
Saturday, April 29, 2006; Posted: 9:16 a.m. EDT (13:16 GMT)
Cyclone Mala churns in the Bay of Bengal as it bears down on the coast of Myanmar Friday.
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- A cyclone packing winds up to 150 mph battered Myanmar Saturday, ripping roofs off dozens of buildings near the capital, knocking out electricity and forcing tourists to flee flooding along the coast.
There were scattered report of injuries and deaths but the government gave no details.
Cyclone Mala, which means "a garland of flowers" in Bengali, passed through Gwa, a resort 120 miles northwest of Yangon, an official in the meteorological department said.
The storm produced massive waves and flooding, knocked down trees and forced dozens of youngsters on a yachting trip to seek higher ground, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The worst damage appeared to be just outside the capital Yangon, where strong winds damaged more than 150 buildings, the official said.
A soft drink and flour factory collapsed and dozens of buildings lost their roofs, the official said. Police and soldiers stood guard as municipal workers cleaned up the twisted metal, downed utility polls and shattered glass.
"This was the worst damage I have ever seen in my life," said a resident from the industrial zone. "Even containers fell, and cars were blown into the air by what looked like a tornado."
Storm warnings were also issued for coastal areas in southern Bangladesh, though forecasters said there was almost no chance now that the cyclone would strike there.
Cyclones are known as typhoons in much of East Asia and hurricanes in the Western hemisph
