YANGON, Jun 14, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- Myanmar will build cyclone shelters in 500 villages in the cyclone-affected regions to resist natural disasters in the future, local weekly journal reported Saturday.

The project, estimated to be cost about at least 15 million U.S. dollars, will be implemented by the cooperation of the Myanmar Engineers' Society (MES) and the Geological Science Society (GSS), the Voice quoted the GSS as saying.

The design is being drawn by MES and a sample cyclone shelter will be constructed at a village in Ayeyawaddy division, it said.

Meanwhile, with the assistance of experts from the Tokyo University of Japan and with the combination of technical knowhow applied in most cyclone-hit Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, and that of Myanmar's local regions, a first-ever cyclone-resistant model village will be constructed in the country, according to the earlier report of the Yangon Times journal.

The 40-house model village will comprise storm shelter, water distribution system using natural gravity, solar-energy power supply system and cyclone-resistant apartments, it said.

Deadly tropical cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states -- Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago, Mon and Kayin on last May 2 and 3, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon inflicted the heaviest casualties and massive infrastructural damage.

Villages in some townships such as Ngaputaw, Laputta, Bogalay, Dedaye, Phyapon, Mawlamyinegyun and Haigyigyun in Ayeyawaddy delta and Kungyangon, Kawmu and Kyauktan in Yangon division were almost totally destroyed and some even erased.

The storm has killed 77,738 people and left 55,917 missing and 19,359 injured according to the official released death toll.