Myanmar State Television says Cyclone Death Toll nears 78,000
Associated Press
2008-05-16 08:43:53.0
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State TV in Myanmar says the official death toll from the country's devastating cyclone has climbed to 77,738, as of Friday.
The figure is nearly double the number released Thursday by the military government.
The official count for the missing also soared, to 55,917, from a figure of 27,838 that had been announced for the past few days.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimated Wednesday that the total death toll may be between 68,833 and 127,990. The U.N. has said more than 100,000 may have died.
The U.N. and the Red Cross say 1.6 million to 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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