Myanmar Cyclone Changes Geography

Written by: Scott Hetsko

These before and after satellite images show the incredible storm surge that struck Myanmar with that powerful cyclone last week. High resolution satellite imagery shows how much of the low-lying area was affected by the storm. In the top picture, taken April 15, you can clearly see the ocean and rivers in blue, as well as the fields and wetlands in green and brown.

The next image was taken on Monday. The blue shading shows floodwater covering about 20,000 square miles of Myanmar. Yangon, a city similar in population to Houston, is almost completely surrounded by water.

Nargis was the equivalent of a strong category 3 hurricane and moved in from the west. The storm was near peak intensity when it made landfall on May 2. The strong winds and a broad counter-clockwise circulation pushed a huge swell of ocean water into the Gulf of Martabon. As the eye made landfall south of Bassein, the 12-foot storm surge inundated the area which is barely above sea level. Most of the victims drowned.