YANGON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar government has made it clear that it accepts international aid from any country but rejects foreigners to enter disaster-hit areas, according to the state-run Myanmar Television Monday.

    Meeting with resident representatives of the United Nations agencies, foreign social organizations and international non-governmental organizations on Sunday in Yangon, Myanmar Minister of National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha said that aid from any nation is accepted and delivery of relief goods can be handled with enough strength by local organizations so do by Myanmar citizens working in international organizations in cooperation with the government departments concerned but not in individual.

A worker prepares to load relief supplies from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) for the cyclone-devastated regions of Myanmar at Ostend Airport May 11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    He made it clear that foreigners are prohibited to enter the disaster-hit areas.

    Myanmar has said the best way to help Myanmar is to send in material rather than personnel, clarifying that the country is notyet ready to receive search and rescue teams as well as media personnel.

    Relief work is underway in the disaster-torn regions.

    On May 2 and 3, a deadly tropical cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, severely hit five divisions and states -- Yangon, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Kayin and Mon, covering such coastal towns in southwestern Ayeyawaddy division as Haing Gyi Island, Pathein, Myaungmya, Laputta, Mawlamyinegyun, Kyaiklat, Phyarpon and Bogalay, and the biggest city of Yangon and sustaining the heaviest ever casualties and infrastructural damage.

    According to an official updated death toll on Sunday, a total of 28,485 people have lost their lives in the cyclone storm with altogether 33,416 people remained missing. 



Relief work in progress in Myanmar after cyclone

A survivor of Cyclone Nargis collects firewood to sell it to people who need it for fuel at a village in Kyauktan, southeast of Yangon May 11, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    YANGON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of 9,330 cyclone victims have been accommodated in 32 relief camps opened in three areas for homeless survivors in southwestern Ayeyawaddy division severely hit by cyclone Nargis on May 2 and 3, official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported on Monday.

    The three lesser-hit areas where relief camps were set up for victims to be evacuated from the hardest-hit townships are Maubin, Wakema and Myaungmya. Full story

More international relief supplies flow in Myanmar

People line up to receive water in a cyclone-hit village located near the capital Yangon May 11, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

   YANGON, May 11 (Xinhua) -- More aircrafts laden with relief materials from the international community touched down at the Yangon International Airport Sunday for the delivery to the cyclone-devastated regions of Myanmar, state radio and television reported Sunday evening.

    These aid supplies included that from the King of Thailand, International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), Greek, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Petronas of Malaysia and Pakistan. Full story

Myanmar cyclone death toll climbs to 28,458

A young boy sits by the wreckage of a home near Kyauktan May 11, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    YANGON, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of Myanmar's cyclone disaster rose to 28,458 from 23,335, according to a brief news report of the state TV Sunday evening.

    Altogether 33,416 people remained missing, down from 37,019, the report said. Full story

More China's relief supplies arrive Myanmar biggest city 

    YANGON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A special aircraft, laden with more relief supplies mainly medicines, arrived at the Yangon International Airport Saturday afternoon from China as the country's third batch of aid materials airlifted to Myanmar for cyclone-hit homeless survivors.

    The Boeing 747-400 aircraft, Jade Cargo, brought along 58 tons more of relief materials which also include tents and water purifiers. Full story

UN launches $187 mln appeal for cyclone-hit Myanmar 

    UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations launched a flash appeal for 187 million U.S. dollars on Friday to aid more than 1.5 million victims of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar last week.

    The flash appeal would enable 10 UN organizations and nine nongovernmental organizations to "support the government of Myanmar in addressing the needs of more than 1,500,000 people affected by the cyclone," said a UN statement. Full story 

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