How come when a tornado hits America, it kills around 12 people, but in Burma, 100,000?

Question

It's unbelievable.

Answer 1

Because we have warning systems.  They didn't have a warning system over there.  And people are more crowded.

Answer 2

because the way people find out a tornado is coming in Burma is when they see it coming down the road, in a third world country there is no alert system for severe weather or winds, and because houses and building here are designed to be stable and withstand high winds when the time comes, they build the house with extreme conditions in mind

Answer 3

Because the cyclone picks more water up from the ocean.

Answer 4

population density would be my best guess.

Answer 5

Because it wasn't a tornado that hit Burma, it was what we call a hurricane. People living in low-lying areas with no means of transportation get killed when the storm surge comes ashore.  I heard that the one that hit Burma was about 12 feet high, and no doubt swept miles inland.