Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008, sweeping through the Ayeyarwady delta region and the country’s main city and former capital, Yangon, with winds of up to 200kph. Altogether, about 2.5 million people were affected. The extent of the damage and the number of casualties remain difficult to assess. As of 17 May, the official figures stood at 77 738 dead and 55 917 missing. Unofficial estimates are considerably higher. Several hundred thousand people are estimated to be without shelter and safe drinking water. Given the size of the area hit by the storm, the number of people in need of assistance is expected to rise considerably as assessments continue and access slowly improves.