The Burmese government prepared for an influx of international aid Monday as the death toll from Saturday’s cyclone passed 10,000, according to Foreign Minister Nyan Win. That number suggested a far greater disaster than the 351 deaths reported earlier that same day.


BBC:

Thousands of survivors of Cyclone Nargis are lacking shelter, drinking water, power and communications.

The United States offered to increase aid offered if Burma agreed to allow a US team access to assess the situation.

First Lady Laura Bush, who takes a special interest in Burma, urged Burma to accept $250,000 (£126,000) already allocated for emergency aid, and said more would be available if the team was allowed into the country. …

Expressing his sadness at the scale of the disaster, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon confirmed that UN officials were meeting Burmese government representatives to discuss how to help.

If the toll is confirmed, Nargis is now the world’s deadliest storm since a 1999 cyclone in India killed 10,000 people.

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