Myanmar was warned of cyclone

2008-05-06 16:46

New Delhi - Indian meteorologists tracking the cyclone that killed more than 22 000 people in Myanmar said on Tuesday they had given their neighbour 48 hours warning of an impending storm.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which had been monitoring the deepening depression over the Bay of Bengal since late last month, said it gave 48 hours warning that the cyclone would barrel into Myanmar.

"Forty-eight hours before (tropical cyclone) Nargis struck, we indicated its point of crossing (landfall), its severity and all related issues to Myanmarese agencies," IMD spokesperson BP Yadav told AFP.

"Our job is to give warnings in advance, and we take pride in saying that we gave warnings much, much in advance and there was enough time to take precautionary measures such as evacuation," Yadav said.

The IMD is mandated by the World Meteorological Organisation to track cyclones over South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia.

The comments came after US First Lady Laura Bush accused Myanmar's military regime of failing to warn its citizens in time about the cyclone, which devastated the impoverished country.

Starting in late April, the weather department was issuing regular advisories to Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries that the cyclone was brewing in the Bay of Bengal.

"Way back on April 26, we told them a cyclone was coming," Yadav said, referring to general warnings of a growing storm.

But at that time, it was not clear in which country the storm would make landfall, the Indian weather department said.

- AFP