Along with homes, cyclone in Myanmar has demolished country's infrastructure

IRRAWADDY, Myanmar (CNN) - Along with stealing lives and homes from tens of thousands of people, the 150 mph winds of Cyclone Nargis swept away much of the infrastructure in Myanmar's southern delta area, threatening to push back the clock in this already impoverished country.

In one town, a demolished school science laboratory sat near a pool of stagnant water Wednesday. The school used to educate 1,700 students but now its science lab was reduced to a pile of twisted wood beams and wall fragments.

School officials say they have tried to contact the country's Ministry of Education for help but have received no response.

–From CNN's Dan Rivers