What was the effect of Cyclone Nargis on women?
Traditionally, women are affected more than men in disasters, Cyclone Nargis was no exception. Sadly, women and children suffer the most following a disaster; put simply, more women die from the direct and indirect result of natural disasters. Of the 130,000 people dead or missing in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, 61 per cent were female. Many were not strong enough to escape the flood waters that followed the cyclone, others died by protecting their children from being washed away. Those that did survive the storm were left traumatised by the loss of their children and other family members. A woman in Kungyangon recalls seeing her six-year-old-son killed in the tidal surge; ‘A big wave swept my son away from me. I could not do anything to protect him as I was carrying my youngest child on my shoulder. I can’t forget it.’ Many women lost their husbands and family members, finding themselves with the added responsibility of heading households and managing farm land. How is CARE workin
