As we learn more about the incredible disaster in Myanmar (formerly Burma), it's hard to believe the loss of life there. I was stunned to hear an estimate of 100,000 people; possibly as many as 40,000 children could be lost.

Cyclone Nargis is comparable to a hurricane. That's what they're called in the Indian Ocean. Actually all tropical systems form around increasingly deepening areas of low pressure. This one was tracked for days and its landfall was devastating. When we think of a hurricane making landfall, we usually envision damage confined to the place where the landfall occurs. Then, the hurricane moves inland and weakens because it loses its water source. However, in this case, the cyclone made landfall with the force of a Category 3 hurricane with winds over 130 mph. Then it followed the coastline, instead of coming inland. This means that hurricane conditions may have spread along 200 miles of coastline.

A NASA satellite called the Earth Observatory has some astonishing before and after pictures:

The top half shows the region on April 15. There's plenty of lush vegetation indicated by the green. In the middle of the picture, follow the ribbon of blue. That's the Irrawaddy River. It flows south through the left-hand side of the image, splitting into numerous branches called the Mouths of the Irrawaddy.

The bottom half of the image shows the aftermath of Nargis, taken May 5. You can see how all of the green has changed to blue, covered by the rain and storm surge. The city toward the right-hand side of the lower picture called Yangôn (population over 4 million) is almost completely surrounded by floods. Several large cities (population 100,000-500,000) are in the affected area. Muddy runoff colors the Gulf of Martaban turquoise.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people in this area as we all try to comprehend such an astounding tragedy.

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