Cyclone leaves one million homeless in Burma

08/05/2008 11:07:29

American diplomats in Burma say they have received information that more than 100,000 people may have died in Burma's delta region as a result of Cyclone Nargis and an associated tidal surge.

The United States has urged Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, India and China to use any influence they have with Burma to allow relief teams in.

Discussions have been held at the United Nations in New York on how to encourage Burma to accept more outside help.

France says it may seek a UN Security Council resolution forcing Burma to admit foreign aid workers and emergency supplies.

Some foreign aid has reached the country from Thailand and China, and a UN World Food Program plane is on its way from Italy.

UN Emergency Relief under-secretary-general John Holmes, says the process must be speeded up.

"We have been discussing that intensively with the government in Myanmar both here and in Yangoon, (and) I think we are making some progress," he said.

"Members of the initial assessment team which we had assembled in Bangkok will be flying into Myanmar tomorrow."

Mr Holmes says the Rangoon is cooperating, albeit slowly.

"They might have refused all international assistance, they might have refused a dialogue with us, they might have said in a blanket way no international aid workers will be allowed in. They've not said that," he said.

"We've made some progress, we need to go a lot further and a lot faster."

Millions in desperate need
International charities say at least a million Burmese are homeless and in desperate need of food, water, medical supplies and shelter.

Australia's Ambassador to Burma Bob Davis, has criticised the government's plans to have parts of the country unaffected by the cyclone vote in this weekend's constitutional referendum.

"We are concerned that they seemed not to be focusing on what is the major priority one would have expected at this stage, and that is to address the humanitarian problems and have that as a priority issue rather than continuing their proposal to proceed with the referendum," he said.

Fields "strewn with bodies"
Aid workers who flew over the southern region said entire villages have been washed away, and rice fields are strewn with bodies.

WFP spokesman Chris Kaye says the delta region is a disaster zone.

"We have a major humanitarian catastrophe on our hands and the numbers of people in need are still to be determined but for sure we're talking of hundreds of thousands," he said.

"The concern that we have is with respect to shelter and water and sanitation. Those are the acute needs that need to be fulfilled, I think, as a matter of urgency."

Australian aid
Australia's prime minister Kevin Rudd has made a direct appeal to Burma junta to allow aid agencies unrestrained access to cyclone victims.

The Australian government is providing $US2.8 million in aid through non-government organisations already working in Burma.

Mr Rudd says that's just an initial response to an appalling tragedy, and he's urging the Burmese government to accept international help.

Local aid groups short on supplies
The head of World Vision Australia, Tim Costello, says the agendy's 600 staff in Burma fear they will run out of supplies to help survivors.

World Vision is one of the few international aid agencies allowed to operate in Burma by the military government.

Mr Costello left for Burma on Wednesday, after overcoming problems obtaining a visa.

"These are people suffering. A humanitarian crisis is technical language to say that mums and dads have died, the kids are often now orphans, they're at risk," he said.

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