Bodies floating to Mon State

Sat 17 May 2008, IMNA

Bodies and flotsam from the Irrawaddy and Rangoon (Yangon) Division are floating to Mon State, according to fisherman in Kyaik-khame in Mon State.

Fishermen in Kyaik-khame Thanpyuzayart Township said bodies, animal carcasses and flotsam in the wake of the Cyclone Nargis were being swept into Kyaik-khanme areas into the of Gulf of Martaban Sea.

"Bodies and animal carcasses were getting caught in the fishing nets. Some bodies had hands holding onto something or the other at a last ditch attempt at surviving," they added. Refrigerators and some house-boats also came in with the tide in the sea.

During the cyclone in southern Burma (Myanmar) a man died and about 14 fishing boats in Kyaik-khame Town were sunk. About 10 million Kyats worth of fishing boats were lost.

Not only were fishing boats damaged but over 200 acres of summer paddy were destroyed due to flooding.

One Mon National primary school under the education department of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and about four villages in Khaw-za Sub Township were destroyed.

Nearly 100 houses in Sin-gu, Sonparauk, Maher and Hangan in Khaw-za were damaged and the families are living with relatives. Half the households in Sonparauk village had to suffer damage.

The roof of a government high school in Thanpyuzayart was also damaged.

Mon organizations on the Thai-Burma border prayed and handed out charity for people who died in the cyclone.