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| Burma warned over cyclone delays | Burma warned over cyclone delays |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has warned of dire consequences if foreign aid workers continue to be denied access to Burma. | The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has warned of dire consequences if foreign aid workers continue to be denied access to Burma. |
| Speaking before the UN launched its $187m (£96m) appeal to help those hit by the cyclone, he said early action was needed to prevent catastrophe. | Speaking before the UN launched its $187m (£96m) appeal to help those hit by the cyclone, he said early action was needed to prevent catastrophe. |
| Burma has thanked the international community for their generosity and says it will accept aid from any quarter. | Burma has thanked the international community for their generosity and says it will accept aid from any quarter. |
| Burma says 22,980 people died, but the UN fears the toll could reach 100,000. | Burma says 22,980 people died, but the UN fears the toll could reach 100,000. |
| The country's ruling generals have been criticised for their handling of the crisis that has left towns flattened, infrastructure destroyed and 5,000 sq km (1,930 sq miles) of farmland in the Irrawaddy delta under water and littered with dead bodies. | The country's ruling generals have been criticised for their handling of the crisis that has left towns flattened, infrastructure destroyed and 5,000 sq km (1,930 sq miles) of farmland in the Irrawaddy delta under water and littered with dead bodies. |
| The sheer survival of the affected people is at stake Ban Ki-moonUN Secretary General Burmese anger growsWorld wrestles with aid issueWhy vote trumps storm for junta | The sheer survival of the affected people is at stake Ban Ki-moonUN Secretary General Burmese anger growsWorld wrestles with aid issueWhy vote trumps storm for junta |
| There is also widespread concern that the junta is going ahead with Saturday's national referendum on a new constitution, except in only the worst-affected areas. | There is also widespread concern that the junta is going ahead with Saturday's national referendum on a new constitution, except in only the worst-affected areas. |
| The government says the referendum will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010, while the opposition says it is intended to tighten the generals' rule. | The government says the referendum will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010, while the opposition says it is intended to tighten the generals' rule. |
| There are reports that a senior general over-rode requests from his officers to divert army resources to help the cyclone victims - in order to maintain security for the poll. | There are reports that a senior general over-rode requests from his officers to divert army resources to help the cyclone victims - in order to maintain security for the poll. |
| No contact | No contact |
| Aid agencies already in Burma say they have been doing what they can, but are frustrated by the government's reluctance to allow international aid teams into the country and its insistence on distributing aid itself. | Aid agencies already in Burma say they have been doing what they can, but are frustrated by the government's reluctance to allow international aid teams into the country and its insistence on distributing aid itself. |
| EXTENT OF THE DEVASTATION See map and satellite imagesSend us your commentsRangoon's hardship | EXTENT OF THE DEVASTATION See map and satellite imagesSend us your commentsRangoon's hardship |
| The UN believes as many as 1.5 million people could have been affected by Cyclone Nargis, which struck on 3 May, and many say Burma does not have the capacity to respond adequately on its own. | The UN believes as many as 1.5 million people could have been affected by Cyclone Nargis, which struck on 3 May, and many say Burma does not have the capacity to respond adequately on its own. |
| Two BBC correspondents who have travelled to the Irrawaddy delta say tens of thousands of bodies are strewn across the landscape, with houses toppled and trees uprooted. | Two BBC correspondents who have travelled to the Irrawaddy delta say tens of thousands of bodies are strewn across the landscape, with houses toppled and trees uprooted. |
| They say diseases like dysentery are already starting to take hold, and although some aid has arrived there is still no relief effort to match the size of the catastrophe. | They say diseases like dysentery are already starting to take hold, and although some aid has arrived there is still no relief effort to match the size of the catastrophe. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| BBC Correspondent and Tim Costello from World Vision on Radio 4's The World At One (9 May). | |
| Mr Ban warned that lives of the survivors could be at risk if the military leaders refused international aid. | Mr Ban warned that lives of the survivors could be at risk if the military leaders refused international aid. |
| "If early action is not taken and relief measures put in place, the medium-term effect of this tragedy could be truly catastrophic," he said. | "If early action is not taken and relief measures put in place, the medium-term effect of this tragedy could be truly catastrophic," he said. |
| "The sheer survival of the affected people is at stake." | "The sheer survival of the affected people is at stake." |
| Mr Ban says he has not been able to get through to the country's leaders to speak to them directly. | Mr Ban says he has not been able to get through to the country's leaders to speak to them directly. |
| Obstacles | Obstacles |
| The World Food Programme says it is in talks with the government after tonnes of aid it flew into Burma was impounded by the military authorities who wanted to control its distribution. | The World Food Programme says it is in talks with the government after tonnes of aid it flew into Burma was impounded by the military authorities who wanted to control its distribution. |
| Burma's envoy to the UN on the acceptance of aid | |
| The UN agency threatened to suspend relief flights, but later said they would resume on Saturday, while negotiations continued. | The UN agency threatened to suspend relief flights, but later said they would resume on Saturday, while negotiations continued. |
| The Burmese UN envoy, Ambassador Kyaw Tint Swe, said the first US relief flight was expected to arrive on Monday. | The Burmese UN envoy, Ambassador Kyaw Tint Swe, said the first US relief flight was expected to arrive on Monday. |
| He said that his country was ready to accept help from any quarter. | |
| Other aid has been pouring in from Burma's allies, such as China and Thailand, and Burma-based aid agency workers have been distributing food and emergency aid where possible. | Other aid has been pouring in from Burma's allies, such as China and Thailand, and Burma-based aid agency workers have been distributing food and emergency aid where possible. |
| An aid worker in Burma, Tim Costello, chief executive of World Vision Australia, warned of an epidemic of "apocalyptic proportions" if aid did not get through. | An aid worker in Burma, Tim Costello, chief executive of World Vision Australia, warned of an epidemic of "apocalyptic proportions" if aid did not get through. |
| Mr Costello said the Burmese government did not have the capacity to run the relief effort required, adding that the impact of Cyclone Nargis could be worse than the effect of the Asian tsunami on Sri Lanka and Indonesia. | Mr Costello said the Burmese government did not have the capacity to run the relief effort required, adding that the impact of Cyclone Nargis could be worse than the effect of the Asian tsunami on Sri Lanka and Indonesia. |
| He urged donors to continue giving, saying the aid teams already in the country were helping make a difference. | He urged donors to continue giving, saying the aid teams already in the country were helping make a difference. |
| 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. |