Global General

Special

Newsmaker

Asia Pacific

America

Middle East

Europe

Africa

2nd foreign medics allowed in cyclone-hit Myanmar

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-18 10:21

YANGON - A 47-member medical team from India arrived at Yangon International Airport Saturday afternoon to render direct emergency medical aid to the country's cyclone victims.

Led by Dr.Prafull Mohan, the Indian aid medics was the second foreign medical aid team to have access to the country's victims. The Indian team brought along 15 tons of medicines.

Earlier in the afternoon, a 30-member medical team of Thailand comprising 18 doctors and 12 nurses, had arrived as the first batch of foreign medical staff allowed by the Myanmar government to carry out relief work in the country's cyclone-devastated regions a fortnight after the disaster.

The Thai medics brought along 230,000 U.S. dollars' medicine, weighing 10.45 tons.

Deadly tropical cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states -- Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago, Mon and Kayin on May 2-3, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon inflicted the heaviest casualties and infrastructural damage.

According to a latest official death toll released on Friday evening, as many as 77,738 people have been killed in the disaster with altogether 55,917 still missing and 19,359 injured.