Over 100 people were killed and thousands rendered homeless after Cyclone Giri lashed Arakan State in Burma on Friday evening. The Arakanese political party the Rakhine National Development Party, (RNDP) has appealed to the international community for assistance.

The RNDP issued a statement relating to Cyclone Giri with emergency declaration No. 1/2010, where the party appealed to the international community to provide humanitarian aid to the cyclone victims.

Cyclone Giri hit two districts - Sittwe and Kyauk Pru - in Arakan State on Friday, 22 October, triggering tidal waves and flooding that left nearly 100,000 people homeless. The victims are now taking refuge in temporary shelters.

The death toll in the two districts rose to at least 100 following recovery of bodies throughout the week up to Thursday, but Burmese authorities declared that only 27 people were killed in the cyclone.

The worst affected area was Mray Bon, Kyauk Pru, Min Bya, Pauktaw, and Man Aung, where the UN reported 70,000 people have been left homeless and 130,000 have been severely affected by the disaster.

The RNDP stated that hundreds of rural houses have been destroyed or damaged, families have lost their essential household items, and crops have been destroyed. The displaced population has taken shelter in temporary huts without proper roofs or water wells.

Dr. Aye Maung, President of the RNDP, said, "We request on behalf of the Arakanese community to the UN and international community to provide aid to the victims of the deadly cyclone immediately. The victims are now facing many challenges struggling for their survival. The victims need emergency aid from the international community."

Cyclone Giri is the worst cyclonic storm to hit Burma since Cyclone Nargis claimed more than 100,000 lives in the Irrawaddy Delta in May, 2008, but much relief aid for the victims is yet to come.

Dr. Aye Maung also said that storms often hit the coastal areas of Arakan every year, especially in the rainy season. Because of this, he has also requested that the concerned government authorities, the UN, and international NGOs consider a long-term plan to mitigate the impact such storms have on people.

Speaking to Narinjara over telephone, Dr. Aye Maung said that cyclone centers are needed in the lower coastal areas of Arakan State for local residents to seek shelter whenever cyclones hit the region.

Arakan has consistently faced severe storms every year, but there are no cyclone shelters anywhere in the state.

The RNDP is a political party based in Arakan State that has fielded 47 candidates in the ensuing election scheduled to be held on 7 November, 2010.