The coastal region of Myanmar, along the Bay of Bengal, is heavily populated and prone to flooding. This image shows the rainfall accumulations along the path of Cyclone Nargis with the heaviest areas in blue. Almost 2 feet of rain was recorded in the dark blue patches.
The storm was measured as a Category 2 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale over the Bay of Bengal, then diminished to a Category 1 storm before gaining steam again to Category 3 strength, with sustained winds of 120 mph when it hit land.
Caption by
Andy Smith