AFP July 4, 2008
YANGON - A PASSENGER boat sank in Myanmar's south-west delta region earlier this week, killing 38 villagers, state media said.
The boat was travelling on the Yway River in the cyclone-hit Irrawaddy Delta when it was swamped early on Tuesday morning, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Friday.
'A total of 44 passengers of 82 have been saved and the remaining 38 people died,' it said.
The boat had been heading to Myaungmya town, about 161 kilometres from the country's largest city, Yangon.
The incident brings further grief to a region still mourning the 138,000 dead or missing after cyclone Nargis hit in early May.
The Irrawaddy Delta is the least developed region in Myanmar and most people rely on small boats for transportation around its flooded plains.
Thousands of people remain homeless and in need of humanitarian aid there as many buildings and rice paddies were washed away during the storm. -- AFP
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