Myanmar & Tsunami News (Jan 1, '05)

A Reuters report says death toll is now 53 in Myanmar. It is amazing that on both sides of Myanmar, geographically, the death toll was orders of magnitude higher. The article states, "'The Andaman Islands seemed to have protected the Coco Islands as natural barriers,' a geologist said of India's Andaman and Nicobar islands where 712 people were killed and some 3,000 missing and presumed dead."

The Coco Islands belong to Myanmar, while the Andamans and Nicobars belong to India. There are accusations that the government is covering up the true extent of the damage, but my sources in Yangon report something very similar.

RB