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A New Zealander who was on a cruise ship when deadly Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar says the weather has cleared to reveal a devastated land.
Ford Williams, from Hamilton, was working as an electrician on board the luxury river ship Road to Mandalay on the Yangon River when the cyclone thrashed the country on the weekend, The Dominion Post reported.
Its wake left millions of people homeless and humanitarian officials estimate more than 100,000 may be dead.
One New Zealander who was staying in a rural part of the country is still unaccounted for, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) said today.
Mr Williams said the ship was massively damaged as the weather prevented it from docking before the storm hit.
"There are a lot of ships sunk in the port area," the 57-year-old emailed to his family.
"Our ship broke its mooring lines and we drifted onto the side of the river when we were sitting out of the storm.
"Everyone survived okay."
Mr Williams said the noise and the wind was "unbelievable".
"The weather's fine and dandy now and to look at the port you'd think it was from another time."
Mr Williams, who has worked on the cruise ship for 12 years, said the military government had been conspicuous by their absence after the storm.
Mfat's consular division director Rosemary Paterson told Radio New Zealand overnight eight New Zealanders who had not been accounted for have been found safe and well.
The one person whose wellbeing was unknown was staying in a rural area and it was difficult making contact.
She said the New Zealand community in Yangon had rallied together and helped track down a number of people believed missing, including visiting some who were out of telephone contact.
The British Embassy had also helped in finding New Zealanders in the country.
Ms Paterson urged anyone with family members or friends who also may be in Myanmar to contact Mfat and ask to speak with the consular division.
- NZPA
