Bangkok - Thailand was placed on alert Saturday as a cyclone that hit Myanmar's largest city of Yangon, cutting off electricity and telephone lines and causing unknown damage, headed for northern Thai provinces. Thailand's Meteorological Department placed 16 northern provinces on high alert for possible flash floods and mudslides as tropical cyclone Nargis headed for the area from Myanmar.
In Yangon the cyclone reportedly knocked over trees on to streets and blew off roofs of many buildings, bringing the city to a standstill.
Electricity and telephone lines were cut by the storm, which started in the Bay of Bengal, making communication with the former capital difficult.
