Than Shwe had replaced Yangon in the previous year, and permitted Gambari to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi. However, Than Shwe refused to meet Gambari when he visited Burma in November 2007 and again on 10 March 2008. In early May 2008, Than Shwe refused many foreign aid workers from entering the country in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis (May 2, 2008). This led to many criticisms from the UN as well as the international community. In early July 2009, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon visited Burma and held talks with General Than Shwe. The military junta rejected UN
2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season day was 570 mm registered by Cuddalore on May 18, 1943. In two days, Orathanadu registered 990 mm of rainfall. Overall in 4 days between 25 and 28 November, Orathanadu got 1280 mm making it as the 4th wettest Cylone in India. The most affected areas map released by ReliefWeb. Nisha killed 204 people making it the 4th deadliest storm in 2008 after Cyclone Nargis, Typhoon Fengshen and Hurricane Hanna. Damage is estimated at about 3789 crores i.e. $800 million (US$). On December 3, an area of low pressure formed over the southern Bay of Bengal within the Intertropical Convergence