By Xinhua,
Yangon : Taking a cue from last month’s Cylone Nargis that left a trail of devastation across the country, Myanmar has roped in international experts to build a first-ever storm-resistant model village, local daily Yangon Times reported Thursday, quoting Myanmar Engineers’
Association.
According to the report, the model village will be set up with the assistance of experts from Japan’s Tokyo University and with the use of technical know-how being applied in cyclone-hit countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
The model village will initially be built at a suitable location in Yangon division, one of two divisions after Irrawaddy delta badly hit by cyclone Nargis. The construction of the village has been estimated to be completed by February 2010, the report said.
The report also said that coordination is being made between the Tokyo University and the Myanmar Engineers’ Association for the move.
The 40-house model village will comprise storm shelter, water distribution system using natural gravity, solar-energy power supply system and cyclone-resistant apartments.
More than 100,000 people were killed and over a million rendered homeless in the killer cyclone that ripped through Myanmar May 2-3. Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago, Mon and Kayin were the worst-hit regions, which inflicted the heaviest casualties and massive infrastructure damage.
The official figures, however, put the death toll at 77,738 and the number of people missing at 55,917.
Villages in some townships such as Ngaputaw, Laputta, Bogalay, Dedaye, Phyapon, Mawlamyinegyun and Haigyigyun in Irrawaddy delta and Kungyangon, Kawmu and Kyauktan in Yangon division were almost totally destroyed in the cyclone.