Chiang Mai – A tornado struck some villages in Labutta Township, Irrawaddy Division yesterday damaging a temporary storm shelter and some houses.
The tornado lashed villages in Labutta Township namely Kyaukmaw, Kyaukphyu, Layeindan yesterday morning, damaging a storm shelter and at least six houses.
"There were strong winds around 10 a.m. and heavy rains in the evening. The tornado struck Kyaukmaw and Kyaukphyu villages. Six houses in Kyaukmaw and some houses in Layeindan were damaged. The roof of the storm shelter at 5th Mile post was ripped off," a local resident in Labutta said. The tornado weakened after 15 minutes.
Kyaukmaw has 539 households and the regime had claimed that only 15 people were killed in Cyclone Nargis, local resident said.
The Meteorology and Hydrology Department said there will be frequent torrential rain with strong winds along the Burmese coast. There would also be will be high tidal waves and wind speeds that may go up to 45-50 mph.
"The monsoon wind will be stronger and there will be torrential rain along the Burmese coast of Mon State and Tanintharyi Divisions and in upper Burma. Kayah, Sagaing, Magwe, Mandalay, Bago, Rakhine, Rangoon and Irrawaddy delta will receive scattered heavy rain. Strong monsoon winds will be spread over the next two days. This is not a storm, just monsoon winds," an official from Meteorology and Hydrology Department said.
The experts from 'Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre' (ADPC) and Burma Meteorology and Hydrology Department said at the 3rd Monsoon Forum meeting held at Naypyidaw (royal capital) Ministry of Transport office on June 5 that the monsoon formed over Bay of Bengal will cross Irrawaddy Division again due to global warming, climatic change and change of wind direction, 'The Voice' weekly journal reported yesterday.
The price of some essential commodities such as rice, edible oil, coffee and grocery rose somewhat in Rangoon amidst rumours of high tide imminent between June 16 and 18.
"Sardines are almost out of stock," a trader in Bayintnaung wholesale trade centre in Mayangone Township said.
Only the price of rice increased a little and the volume of sales is not too much, a trader in Mingalar market in Tamwe Township said.
