Cyclone Nargis It is the costliest storm in the Indian Ocean cyclone basin. The exact death toll from Nargis will likely never be known, but it was most likely one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in recorded history. Several international organisations have been approved to work within the country (either before or after) or otherwise supporting relief efforts: The Irrawaddy Delta is such a fertile area for rice growing that it was known as the "rice bowl" of the British Empire. Production was high enough that Myanmar could feed its citizens a high amount of rice (by the standards of Asia) with
Third Force (Myanmar) Cyclone Nargis in 2008 was seen as a watershed for the local non-governmental scene, as youths became more interested in the affairs of the country, in light of failings by the government in the social sectors. As the military regime blocked international aid, local non governmental organisations sprouted to fill in the relief gap, mainly drawn from the youth and educated of the country's largest city, Yangon. These NGOs also stopped short of criticising the junta, deciding that it would only hinder relief operations. Cyclone Nargis coincided with the junta's attempts to push through a constitution which had taken nearly