US embassy cable - 04RANGOON1629

UNCLAS RANGOON 001629 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, CA TASK FORCE, OPS CENTER 
BANGKOK, KATHMANDU FOR USAID 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR, CASC, PREL, PINR, PGOV, AMGT, BM 
SUBJECT: INDONESIA QUAKE HITS BURMA 
 
REF: 12/27 EMBASSY-CA TASK FORCE EMAIL 
 
1. Rangoon awoke on Sunday the 26th to a 5.3 earthquake, the 
largest since 1958 in the capital, testimony to the vast 
power of the quake off Indonesia.  Though there were no 
reports of casualties or major damage in Rangoon, there were 
scattered reports throughout the area of slightly damaged 
buildings.  The state-run media was predictably tight-lipped 
about the quake, as the SPDC leadership views any natural 
disaster as a bad omen for its continued rule.  However, 
without context, the December 27th papers carried reminders 
of what to do during an earthquake. 
 
2. According to eyewitness reports and the GOB's Ministry of 
Hotels and Tourism, Burma's most heavily touristed beach 
areas -- west of Rangoon on the Bay of Bengal -- were not hit 
by particularly large waves, though the undertow was 
significant.  There were no reports of any damage, injuries, 
or deaths in these areas.  However, coastal areas of 
southeastern Burma -- near the Thai border -- had high waves. 
 A foreign press report claimed that six or seven locals were 
killed in that area, however, Rangoon businessmen with 
interests there said they'd heard of damage to buildings and 
bridges but not of any casualties.  A Ministry of Hotels and 
Tourism official told us that there were eight or nine 
pleasure craft, carrying foreigners, including Americans, in 
this area but that he had not heard of any problems.  The 
boats are expected back to port between the 27th and January 
2nd. 
 
3. UNOCAL's Rangoon office reported no damage to the offshore 
Yadana natural gas platform, located in far southeastern 
Burma, nor to the onshore pipeline facility.  Both are 
operated by France's Total, but UNOCAL is a member of the 
operating consortium.  As a precaution the platform stopped 
pumping gas for 3.5 hours beginning at 7:40 am on the 26th, 
but was back to normal production by noon. 
MARTINEZ