Rangoon – May 3 Saturday, 2008 – The meteorology department warned at 8pm on Friday about the approaching cyclone. It said that it (the cyclone) could pass through Rangoon between 7 and 10 (pm).
Messages relating to the weather were sent to all GSM phones in Rangoon. They were sending the messages up until 11pm, and later, they stopped sending them.
At 12pm (midnight), rains started to come down gently. Some people went to bed and some didn't. It started to become rough and violent at 4am.
The rains also came with it a little bit, and in this situation, it became really violent by 6am. It went on continually to 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 am and stopped at noon.
All phone lines were cut off. All the electricity supplies were cut off and phone lines were switched off. All the trees were uprooted and blocked all the streets.
As there were rains, there were floods. The floods haven't receded yet. We lost all communication lines. Phone lines were cut off. When the rains stopped, all the huts collapsed. Almost all the roofs of the concrete buildings were upturned, No one (the authority) is helping us.
Rangoon – May 4 Sunday, 2008
There is nothing left in Rangoon. All the big trees have collapsed. All the power lines have collapsed. None of the big trees along Kandawgyi areas are left standing.
The zoo had also collapsed. All the animals are running out and staying in small groups here and there.
All trees and power lines at that area had been uprooted. We are running out of fuel and people could all die, possibly.
If the international help doesn't come within seven days, it would be impossible. There is nothing to eat.
A gallon of petrol is 8000 (Kyat). A bottle of pure water is 600. A nail to secure the corrugated iron is 100, a sheet of corrugated iron is 10,000 Kyat. And they are not selling them to everyone, only 10 sheets per person, nothing is left in Rangoon.
Electricity won't come within 10-15 days. They have to re-erect all the power lines. There is no tree left standing.
You can see Shwedagon pagoda from afar. The Shwedagon pagoda which was erected by King Alaungphaya around 1750s until 2008 , within more than 300 years , it is the worst. You could see the pagoda on the hill, standing alone.
People are feeling agitated and walking on the streets… Only one or two cars are travelling and roads are still blocked and they are still being cleared.
Another important thing, I heard that some inmates staged a break out and managed to escape at Insein Jail. I could not confirm the report as I haven’t been able to go there yet. I will try to get there.
My battery is running low. I should save it for further reports.
