24 Jul 2008

Cyclone Nargis bill put at $1.5 billion

4:24 pm on 24 July 2008

The cost of relief and reconstruction work in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis has been put at more than $1.3 billion.

The figure, from the United Nations and the Association of South-East Asian Nations, is contained in a report released at ASEAN's annual meeting in Singapore.

It is the first comprehensive assessment of the damage caused by the cyclone in May, which is believed to have killed 130,000 people.

Myanmar's ruling generals were criticised in the wake of the cyclone for being slow to accept international aid.

New Zealand is to give $2 million to relief efforts in Myanmar. Immediately after the cyclone hit, it contributed $1.8 million for disaster recovery.