Millions need assistance in Burma

Aid is reaching some of the Burma cyclone victims, but millions are still in need of food, water and shelter.

The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) said £6 million of British aid had reached at least 350,000 people since Cyclone Nargis hit nearly two weeks ago.

Burma's military rulers, the junta, which insists on taking control of distribution, has allowed the UN and some other agencies to hand out the supplies directly but has prevented foreign aid workers from entering cyclone-hit areas.

However, aid agencies said their local partner organisations were able to distribute food, water, shelter, medicine, sarongs, shoes, mosquito nets, plastic mats and baby blankets.

The Burmese government put the death toll at nearly 40,000, with almost 28,000 missing.

But the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimated the death toll was between 68,833 and 127,990, and the UN has said more than 100,000 may have died.

DEC chief executive Brendan Gormley said with more heavy rain forecast to hit the Irrawaddy delta over the coming days, the situation could worsen.

He said: "DEC members are working on the ground now and more aid is getting through by the day. We can't stress enough the vital importance of individual donations from the public.

"Just a few pounds can provide essential shelter and aid to those left homeless by the cyclone. We'd like to thank the generosity people have shown so far and encourage people to continue donating so our agencies can keep up their life saving work."

Survivors are still arriving at relief camps after nearly two weeks.

Nyo Mynt, 16, was one of 30,000 survivors to arrive at the temporary camp of Myaung Mya seeking water, food and shelter.

He came alone after losing five siblings and both parents on the night the cyclone hit.

He said: "We were preparing our evening meal when the wind tore off the roof of our house.

"The water rose quickly. To make sure we stayed together, we tied ourselves to each other with a rope.

"At one point it broke and we all got washed away by the tide. I grabbed my mother with one hand with all my strength.

"We hit a tree that was floating adrift and I lost her. I was terrified and clung onto that tree the whole night."

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