Mangrove Destruction Left Myanmar More Vulnerable to Cyclones

The destruction of mangrove forests on Myanmar's coast may have left the country especially open to cyclone damage, reports the BBC. About 5,000 acres of the country's mangroves are cut down each year to make way for coastal development, including shrimp farms and tourist resorts. The trees, which grow where saltwater and freshwater meet, act as a natural defense against storms by dissipating wave energy - mangrove forests may have helped save lives in Sri Lankan coastal villages during the 2004 tsunami that killed 200,000 people. While globally, mangroves forests continue to dwindle, some countries, including Bangladesh, have recognized their life-saving potential and are actively working to protect them.

So far, 22,000 people are reported dead following Saturday's cyclone, which smashed into the Irrawaddy Delta region. International aid organizations are struggling to bring clean food and water to survivors, as the country's military dictatorship continues to block relief efforts.

--Emily Matchar