Ghosts of the cyclone haunt survivors, soldiers

Sometimes the ghosts carry a message or a warning. Often it is just to let their loved ones know that they are gone for good.

Similar ghost stories surfaced after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, as most Buddhists in Southeast Asia believe strongly in ghosts. They say the spirits of those who died accidentally have trouble moving on to the next life, and can get stuck temporarily in this world.

At night in the rice fields near Laputta town, villagers claim they hear voices calling,

"Hey, help us. ... Hey, help us." But when villagers search the fields with their flashlights, no one can be found.

"We believe it must be the ghosts of those who died, because they died unnaturally in the cyclone," said a villager.

(...) In southern Thailand, where more than 8,000 people were declared dead or missing after the tsunami, special ceremonies were held on the beaches to appease the spirits.

A volunteer physician in Yangon who is helping cyclone survivors said stress might be a contributing factor to all of the ghost sightings.

"I think the survivors of the cyclone have been mentally traumatized and they tend to lose control and see things and images and hear sounds," said the doctor, who asked not to be named. "It might seem normal in the daylight, but when night falls, people tend to hear the voices of their loved ones and see them. They might think it is spirits or ghosts."

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