At least 243 reported dead as cyclone hits Myanmar

Yangon (ANTARA News/DPA) - A powerful cyclone has hit Myanmar, killing at least 243 people and destroying thousands of buildings, state television reported Sunday.

Television pictures from the port city of Yangon, Myanmar`s largest city, showed numerous trees uprooted and houses without roofs.

Tropical cyclone Nargis hit the south of the country on Saturday with wind speeds of more than 200 kilometres per hour.

Electricity and telephone lines were cut by the storm, which started in the Bay of Bengal, making communication with the former capital Yangon difficult.

Especially badly-hit were parts of the Irrawaddy region, which was reported to have been declared a disaster are along with Yangon, Bago, Karen and Mon regions.

More than 20,000 houses were reported to have been blown down in the Irrawaddy Delta region.

The military rulers were reported to have ordered in troops to help rescue operations and clear up the chaos left by the lashing winds.

The cyclone was reported to be weakening as it moved towards Thailand.