Myanmar to open garden created with cyclone-downed trees

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-03 10:35

YANGON -- Myanmar will open a wood garden at the People's Square in the former capital of Yangon created with stem roots and branches from cyclone-downed trees, sources with the Yangon municipal authorities said on Tuesday.

The wooden stage built for music show will be for hire for functions, the Yangon City Development Committee said, adding that wooden sculptures will also be displayed.

Meanwhile, a 28-day wooden sculpture products show featuring 500 woodcurvings made of cyclone-downed stem roots and branches is scheduled for February 10 to March 9 at the famous plaza of Sayar San in Yangon, exhibition sources said.

A cyclone storm, that swept Myanmar in early May last year, blew down over 13,000 old-aged trees and shade-providing ones.

After the disaster, the stem roots and branches of these trees were sorted out for making sculpture products to be auctioned to domestic and foreign business entrepreneurs.

These stem roots and branches of downed trees are of 30 to 100 years of age.

Deadly cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states -- Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago, Mon and Kayin on May 2 and 3 last year, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon inflicted the heaviest casualties and massive infrastructure damage.

The storm has killed 84,537 people and left 53,836 missing and 19,359 injured according to official death toll.