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UN helps one million victims
06/05/2008 22:40 - (SA)
Geneva - The United Nations says it has reached the first of an estimated 1 million people left homeless by the devastating cyclone that ravaged the coast of Myanmar.
The UN's World Food Programme says it has begun distributing food in damaged areas of the largest city Yangon. It says, however, that many coastal areas remain cut off due to flooding and road damage.
State radio said that the death toll in the country, which is also known as Burma, rose above 22 000 on Tuesday. More than 41 000 others are missing.
The devastation has left roads in poor shape and cut telephone lines.
The WFP said in a statement on Tuesday it now has more than 800 metric tons of food in Yangon and will deliver aid to all areas in need.
"WFP food assistance has now begun to reach persons who are without shelter or food resources in and around Yangon," the country's largest city, Chris Kaye, the agency's director for Myanmar, said in a statement.
He added that additional truckloads of food would be dispatched Wednesday to Labutta township, the area hardest hit by the cyclone that struck at the weekend.
Visas
Travel and visa obstacles on Tuesday hampered aid deliveries, officials said, but a green light from Myanmar to accept supplies started the global relief effort rolling three days after the storm.
"This assistance is on its way," said United Nations relief spokesperson Elisabeth Byrs, but she said UN workers planning to assess needs are still awaiting their visas to enter the country.
Some countries announced large donations on Tuesday.
The United States said it was giving US$3m to UN agencies to help with their efforts, up from an initial emergency contribution of US$250 000.
The addition comes even as Myanmar continues to resist entry for a US disaster assessment team.
The European Union "launched a primary fast-track decision to provide emergency relief for victims of the cyclone amounting to €2m," said a statement released by Slovenia as president of the 27-nation bloc.
How the money would be used
China is providing US$1m in aid, including relief materials worth US$500 000, to help with disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts, a spokesman said.
But France and the US complained about the reluctance of Myanmar to accept direct aid.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said France minimised its aid to €200 000 because of a lack of confidence in how the money would be used.
"It's not a lot but we don't really trust the way the Burmese ministry would use the money," Kouchner said.
Kouchner said, however, that 25% of the EU donation was coming from France.
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