Cyclone Nargis has only worsened the economic situation in Burma. Now people have to put up with soaring prices of essential commodities.

A Rangoon resident said that many essential commodity prices have raised excessively especially the price of water, rice and salt after cyclone Nargis lashed Rangoon.

"Now a one litre bottle is 500 Kyat and I had to borrow a water pump for storing water in my home and I had to pay 10,000 kyat per hour," a Rangoon resident said. Because of electricity being cut off she has to cook with charcoal and a sack of charcoal is 7000 Kyat, where the normal price used to be 4000 Kyat, she added.

Rice sellers are not daring sell their rice in the market because they are afraid of being robbed, said a Rangoon resident.

A sack of rice is now between 20,000 and 30,000 Kyat and the prices of eggs are between 300 and 400 Kyat.

Not only have commodity price rises increased but also that of vegetables. An Insein resident said that "commodity and vegetables are scarce in the market and if you don't buy other people are ready to buy it".

Essential commodity prices are rising in Mon State because of the cyclone. A Mudon resident, Daw Khine said that "essential commodity prices are going up especially that of rice and salt. People are trying to hoard to beat further price rise.

Cyclone Nargis slammed into Burma on Saturday and more than 20,000 people died and an estimated one million people have been rendered homeless.