2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season Intertropical Convergence Zone became very active over the Bay of Bengal and later spawned a low-pressure area on April 26. Accompanied by low wind shear, favorable outflow, and over an area of high sea surface temperatures, the system consolidated into a depression the following day. Tracking slowly westward, the depression intensified, becoming Cyclonic Storm Nargis on April 28. That day, steering currents weakened, causing the system to become nearly stationary before a trough influenced more northeasterly, and later easterly, movement. On April 29, the system attained hurricane-force winds. Hours before striking southern Myanmar on May 2, Nargis attained its peak
Diamond Island (Myanmar) In recent years the loss of mangroves has reduced turtle nesting sites. Cyclone Nargis, 2–3 May 2008, also damaged turtle nests and nesting sites. In 1801 the British merchant ship "Mermaid" wrecked on a rock some miles from the island. On 7 November 1808 the East Indiaman did so also. A communications station, now closed, was established there. The station in 1908 was in radio contact with the Andaman Islands and had a telegraph connection to Bassein (now Pathein). During World War II, in January 1942 the river steamer evacuated the British radio operators on the island. On 6 March