May 2 started off as a normal day for Nyo Mynt*—until Cyclone Nargis struck that evening and devastated regions of Myanmar, including the village where Mynt and his family lived.

The first-hand account below is a raw and harrowing tale of Mynt’s struggle for survival. It was recorded in a displacement camp by a World Vision aid worker.

I lost my mum there
Friday, May 2
I'm Nyo Mynt. I'm the eldest of six brothers and sisters. I'm 16. My youngest sibling is two years old. We live in a small village in Myanmar.

The 2nd of May went by normally. I heard there would be a storm. The signs were there—dark clouds and some rain. My parents and us grown-up children worked in the farm the whole day. But not much happened until evening.

We were preparing our meals when the wind blew down our little house. The water quickly flooded the surroundings.

My family decided to move to a church located on high ground not far from our house. We found it hard to reach the church amid the wind, rain and rising water. To make sure we stayed together, we tied ourselves to one another using a homemade coconut rope.

At one point, the rope broke. Only my mother and I were joined together. The others were washed away by the tide. I grabbed my mother with one hand with all my strength and we hit a tree that was floating adrift. My hand weakened because of the force. I lost my mum there.

I was terrified and clung onto that tree the whole night. The tide submerged me many times.

I didn't notice that I was naked
Saturday, May 3
The next morning when the light came out, the water had already receded. I climbed down but I could no longer walk. Pain covered my whole body. Luckily, I found a buffalo and rode toward the village. I found nothing where my house used to be. But I found a knife and headed toward the church. I didn't notice that I was naked.

I found many people at the church. Someone gave me a shirt.

Our village has two pastors. Both of them died. Out of more than 1,000 villagers only about 30 per cent made it out alive.

We ate some rice cooked with salty water and it tasted like pig food.

We found countless numbers of corpses
Sunday, May 4
The next day we walked to a nearby village. But they told us to go to the town of Pyinsalu, which was also very badly damaged. Only 10 per cent of its residents were alive.

We found countless numbers of corpses floating in the rivers and also on the roads. The smell was everywhere in the air.

At Pyinsalu we were provided a mix of rice and noodles but no fresh water. We relied on drinking coconut drink.

A different hell from my village
Monday, May 5
We were sent to Latputta Township by a ferryboat. Tens of thousands of survivors were already stranded in the town. We went to stay at an acquaintance’s house.

We had nothing to eat so I went out to the streets, jostling to get boiled rice. Only stronger people got that scarce food, which a rice trader donated.

That place was a different hell from my village. We had to stay there two days.

I don't know what to do for my future
Tuesday, May 6
I traveled to the district town of Myaung Mya by a truck loaded with survivors like me.

I arrived at a camp. It's much better than the situation in my home village. I was provided my first proper meal, of rice and curry, in almost a week.

I don't know what to do for my future. I don't want to go back to my village. It's now like a cemetery for me.

I'll find some job in a big city like Pathien or Yangon. But I don't know exactly what will happen in my future.

Tens of thousands of children like Nyo Mynt have lost loved ones to Cyclone Nargis and are now living in desperate conditions.

To help families devastated by this disaster, click here.

* Name has been changed.