London, May 7: Thirty-six prisoners were shot dead at a notorious Myanmarese prison after Cyclone Nargis ripped through the country, it has been claimed.

Soldiers and riot police opened fire at Insein Prison in Yangon after inmates there rioted, according to reports. The facility, which houses many political prisoners who oppose the country’s military junta, has been described by former inmates as “the darkest hell-hole in Burma”. The cyclone ripped the roofs of thousands of buildings including Insein Prison.

More than 1,500 prisoners, who were locked in a hall, rioted, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

It reported: “Even though prisoners requested prison guards to open the doors and move them to safety, the authorities ignored their request. Some prisoners set fire to the prison hall and a riot ensued.” Soldiers and riot police called to the prison then opened fire and killed 36 prisoners and injured 70, AAPP said. Ko Bo Kyi, AAPP’s joint secretary, said: “The authorities are to blame for this situation. “As soon as the storm hit, they should have moved the prisoners to safety.”

Aid agencies fear the overall death toll in Myanmar could climb. If previous disasters of this kind are anything to go by, few of the missing are likely to be found alive.