Current MAP Headlines

Removal of Myanmar's mangrove forest defenses gave cyclone easy ride into exposed delta

A cyclone with winds up to 120 mph (190 kph). A low-lying, densely populated delta region, stripped of its protective trees. When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta and pushed a wall of water 25 miles (40 kilometers) inland, it had all the makings of a massive disaster. (9 May 2008) IHT

Forest Clearing May Have Worsened Toll

The impact of the Myanmar cyclone was likely worsened by an environmental problem plaguing Asia's coastlines: widespread degradation of mangrove forests that once protected coastal villages from tidal surges and strong winds. (9 May 2008) WSJ

Tell the UN Now: United Nations Must Order Cyclone Nargis Aid Be Allowed Inside Burma

Send a message to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today urging him to take action to ensure that international aid reaches the people of Burma. (7 May 2008) US Campaign for Burma

Deforestation making Mumbai cyclone-prone

Cyclone Nargis, one of the worst tropical storms to have hit Myanmar with more than one lakh people feared dead. The threat is not far away from India and can be real for our cities. (8 May 2008) NDRV.com

Myanmar - impact of the cyclone on livelihoods and food security, agriculture and fisheries

The cyclone hit 5 states which are predominantly agricultural societies. Rural poor are the most hit. The 5 states own 80 percent of the country's fish aquaculture ponds and 26 percent of the shrimp aquaculture ponds. Fish and shrimps might have escaped from the ponds if flooded by water. (7 May 2008) FAO

PRESS RELEASE: Destruction of Mangrove Forests Increased Devastating Impact of Cyclone Nagris

In the wake of the destruction and rising death toll caused by Cyclone Nagris, Mangove Action Project (MAP) is calling for the re-establishment of mangrove buffer zones and coastal greenbelts along affected coastal zones to avert future such disasters. (7 May 2008) MAP

FACTBOX-Myanmar's cyclone-hit Irrawaddy delta

At least 15,000 people have been killed and 30,000 people are missing from the cyclone that tore through Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta last weekend, officials said on Tuesday. Here are some key facts on the area, once known as the "rice bowl of Asia". (6 May 2008) Reuters

Mangrove loss 'left Burma exposed'

Destruction of mangrove forests in Burma left coastal areas exposed to the devastating force of the weekend's cyclone, a top politician suggests. (6 May 2008) BBC News

Video on shrimp farm development in Brazil to screen in Seattle

Join MAP on Sunday, May 4, at 1 pm for this special screening of the short video "It's All a Lie," co-produced by MAP friends and colleagues in Brazil. Come learn about the threats posed by shrimp farm development, and the communities fighting to protect their land and livelihoods in Northeast Brazil. Immediately following the screening there will be a question and answer period. (29 Apr 2008) MAP

Indian Villagers Protest Deep-Sea Port

Authorities in eastern India arrested at least 100 villagers and deployed a huge police force to quell a protest against a proposed deep-sea port, officials said on Monday. (29 Apr 2008) Reuters