Large rare tornado hits Myanmar – over 200 homes destroyed, 8 fatalities, and 128 injured
Image credit: Disaster Compilations (stillshot)
Eight people were killed, 128 were injured, and 232 houses in two villages were destroyed when a large tornado swept through central Myanmar near the capital Naypyitaw on April 21, 2023.
A large tornado tore through Aung Myin Kone and Tadau villages on Naypyitaw’s southern outskirts on April 21, 2023, at around 18:10 LT, killing eight people and destroying 232 houses, according to Thet Paing Soe, a leading member of the Doh Lewe charity organization.
State-run MRTV television reported that two Buddhist monasteries and a small clinic were among the structures destroyed by the tornado.
Local charity organizations have transported 128 people to hospitals for treatment. Thet Paing Soe described the severity of the destruction, saying, “The tornado blew for approximately 40 minutes. Almost all the houses in the villages are quite badly damaged. The restoration will take months.”
The affected residents are in dire need of aid, with the rebuilding process expected to take months.
Major tornadoes are a rare occurrence in Myanmar. However, smaller tornadoes that infrequently cause death and serious damage often occur during summer and pre-monsoon periods when temperatures rise, according to Kyaw Moe Oo, a director-general at the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology. He added, “During this period, there are frequent tornadoes in the lower parts of Myanmar, but there are few casualties. These kinds of fatalities in central Myanmar are rare.”
References:
1 Rare big tornado near Myanmar capital kills 8 – AP – April 22, 2023
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