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| Aid call as Burma casualties rise | Aid call as Burma casualties rise |
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| International agencies are pushing to gain access for a massive aid operation in Burma, where the toll from Saturday's cyclone continues to rise. | International agencies are pushing to gain access for a massive aid operation in Burma, where the toll from Saturday's cyclone continues to rise. |
| Up to 15,000 people are said to have died in the disaster, and many more are missing, officials say. | Up to 15,000 people are said to have died in the disaster, and many more are missing, officials say. |
| Hundreds of thousands of people are said to be without clean water and shelter, with some areas still cut off. | Hundreds of thousands of people are said to be without clean water and shelter, with some areas still cut off. |
| Burma's leaders say they will accept external help, in a move correspondents say reflects the scale of the disaster. | Burma's leaders say they will accept external help, in a move correspondents say reflects the scale of the disaster. |
| The military junta has said it will postpone to 24 May a referendum on a new constitution in areas worst-hit by the cyclone - including the former capital Rangoon and the Irrawaddy Delta, state television said on Tuesday. | The military junta has said it will postpone to 24 May a referendum on a new constitution in areas worst-hit by the cyclone - including the former capital Rangoon and the Irrawaddy Delta, state television said on Tuesday. |
| But the vote initially planned for 10 May will proceed as planned in the rest of the country, the report said. | But the vote initially planned for 10 May will proceed as planned in the rest of the country, the report said. |
| See the path of Cyclone Nargis | See the path of Cyclone Nargis |
| The UN disaster reduction agency criticised the absence of an early warning system ahead of the cyclone. | The UN disaster reduction agency criticised the absence of an early warning system ahead of the cyclone. |
| "Looking at the number of deaths, it leads us to think that an early warning system had not been put in place," Brigitte Leoni, spokeswoman for the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, told journalists in Geneva. | "Looking at the number of deaths, it leads us to think that an early warning system had not been put in place," Brigitte Leoni, spokeswoman for the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, told journalists in Geneva. |
| See how satellites tracked cyclone | See how satellites tracked cyclone |
| "Obviously many people did not have time to evacuate and find refuge in secured buildings," she said. | "Obviously many people did not have time to evacuate and find refuge in secured buildings," she said. |
| Earlier, US First Lady Laura Bush, who takes a special interest in Burma, accused the Burmese authorities of failing to give a "timely warning" about the approaching storm. | Earlier, US First Lady Laura Bush, who takes a special interest in Burma, accused the Burmese authorities of failing to give a "timely warning" about the approaching storm. |
| 'Catastrophe' | 'Catastrophe' |
| Work is still under way to assess the scale of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, which brought winds reaching 190km/h (120mph). | Work is still under way to assess the scale of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, which brought winds reaching 190km/h (120mph). |
| More deaths were caused by the tidal wave than the cyclone itself, Minister for Relief and Resettlement Maung Maung Swe told a news conference in Rangoon on Tuesday. | More deaths were caused by the tidal wave than the cyclone itself, Minister for Relief and Resettlement Maung Maung Swe told a news conference in Rangoon on Tuesday. |
| "The wave was up to 12ft (3.5m) high and it swept away and inundated half the houses in low-lying villages," he said. "They did not have anywhere to flee." | "The wave was up to 12ft (3.5m) high and it swept away and inundated half the houses in low-lying villages," he said. "They did not have anywhere to flee." |
| Some 95% of the homes in the city of Bogalay in the Irrawaddy river delta were destroyed, he added. | Some 95% of the homes in the city of Bogalay in the Irrawaddy river delta were destroyed, he added. |
| href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7385268.stm">In pictures: Cyclone aftermath class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7385148.stm">Burma cyclone: The aid challengeCrucial test for junta | |
| The director for the World Food Programme in Burma, Chris Kaye, said information about the destruction in the Irrawady Delta was still emerging, but it was clear it was on a very large scale. | The director for the World Food Programme in Burma, Chris Kaye, said information about the destruction in the Irrawady Delta was still emerging, but it was clear it was on a very large scale. |
| "We have a major humanitarian catastrophe in our hands. The numbers of people in need are still to be determined, but I'm sure we're talking of hundreds and thousands," he told the BBC World Service's World Today programme from Rangoon. | "We have a major humanitarian catastrophe in our hands. The numbers of people in need are still to be determined, but I'm sure we're talking of hundreds and thousands," he told the BBC World Service's World Today programme from Rangoon. |
| Andrew Kirkwood, Burma country director for Save the Children, said there were positive signs from the Burmese authorities, who have traditionally been suspicious of aid agencies, limiting their activities. | Andrew Kirkwood, Burma country director for Save the Children, said there were positive signs from the Burmese authorities, who have traditionally been suspicious of aid agencies, limiting their activities. |
| "Every indication is that everyone realises that this is an unprecedented event in Myanmar's [Burma's] history and the government is much more open to international assistance than it has ever been." | "Every indication is that everyone realises that this is an unprecedented event in Myanmar's [Burma's] history and the government is much more open to international assistance than it has ever been." |
| Sea surge | Sea surge |
| DEADLIEST RECENT STORMS Hurricane Katrina, US, 2005 - at least 1,836 deadOrissa Cyclone, 1999, Northern India - at least 10,000 deadHurricane Mitch, 1998, Central America - at least 11,000 deadTyphoon Thelma, 1991, Philippines - 6,000 deadBangladesh cyclone, 1991 - about 138,000 deadBhola cyclone, 1970 - at least 300,000 dead Timeline: Major tropical cyclonesYour pictures: Rangoon damage | DEADLIEST RECENT STORMS Hurricane Katrina, US, 2005 - at least 1,836 deadOrissa Cyclone, 1999, Northern India - at least 10,000 deadHurricane Mitch, 1998, Central America - at least 11,000 deadTyphoon Thelma, 1991, Philippines - 6,000 deadBangladesh cyclone, 1991 - about 138,000 deadBhola cyclone, 1970 - at least 300,000 dead Timeline: Major tropical cyclonesYour pictures: Rangoon damage |
| In the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta region, the storm caused a sea surge that smashed through towns and villages. | In the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta region, the storm caused a sea surge that smashed through towns and villages. |
| "Those areas in the southern part of the Delta - Bogalay, Laputta and Gyapor - were very severely affected, particularly by the storm surge," Mr Kaye told the BBC. | "Those areas in the southern part of the Delta - Bogalay, Laputta and Gyapor - were very severely affected, particularly by the storm surge," Mr Kaye told the BBC. |
| "And a storm surge in a low-lying area such as that, coupled with very high winds, clearly has served to flatten large areas of that part of the delta, and of course taken villages and villagers with it." | "And a storm surge in a low-lying area such as that, coupled with very high winds, clearly has served to flatten large areas of that part of the delta, and of course taken villages and villagers with it." |
| The storm destroyed roads, downed power lines and flattened houses, leaving people across the region homeless. | The storm destroyed roads, downed power lines and flattened houses, leaving people across the region homeless. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY The biggest issue is going to be clean drinking waterAnon, USASend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY The biggest issue is going to be clean drinking waterAnon, USASend us your comments |
| Prices of food, fuel and basic necessities have also risen dramatically in the wake of the storm, putting more people at risk. | Prices of food, fuel and basic necessities have also risen dramatically in the wake of the storm, putting more people at risk. |
| Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the UN would do "whatever [necessary] to provide urgent humanitarian assistance". | Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the UN would do "whatever [necessary] to provide urgent humanitarian assistance". |
| A shipment of aid from Thailand is due to arrive on Tuesday and India is sending two naval vessels. | A shipment of aid from Thailand is due to arrive on Tuesday and India is sending two naval vessels. |
| The US has also offered to increase aid offered if Burma agrees to allow a US team access to assess the situation. | The US has also offered to increase aid offered if Burma agrees to allow a US team access to assess the situation. |
| Return to link | Return to link |
| Are you in Burma, or do you have friends and family there? Have you - or they - been affected by the cyclone? Send your comments and pictures using the post form below. | Are you in Burma, or do you have friends and family there? Have you - or they - been affected by the cyclone? Send your comments and pictures using the post form below. |
| You can also send your comments via text to +44 7624 800 100: | You can also send your comments via text to +44 7624 800 100: |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |