Burma Related News

(CNN) -- After days of stonewalling, the Myanmar government is ready to accept aid from around the world for victims of Saturday's deadly cyclone, the country's U.N. ambassador said Friday.

Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Tint Swe, made his statement during a special U.N. session during which several diplomats slammed the Myanmar government.

British Ambassador John Sawers called Myanmar's refusal to let aid workers in as the death toll mounts "an appalling crisis" and labeled the government's actions "inexplicable and inexcusable."

The Myanmar envoy responded, "We are ready to speed up and strengthen our relief effort. We will accept aid from any corner."

The ambassador from Singapore tried to defuse the anger aimed at Myanmar, urging those in the special session not to politicize the situation.

John Holmes, the U.N. coordinator for humanitarian affairs, told the delegates that the death toll from Cyclone Nargis ranges from 63,000 to 100,000, well above the Myanmar government's announced toll of 22,000.  Watch as families mourn victims »

Most of the victims were in the Irrawaddy Delta, where as many as 6 million people lived. The low-lying region bore the brunt of the storm. Officials have said that about 2,000 square miles of land there is under water.

The victims' plight could worsen this week as heavy rain is forecast, according to The Associated Press.

But Holmes said the exact scale of the catastrophe is unknown because of the government's refusal to let disaster assessment teams into the country.

"The logistical challenge of operating in the delta is huge," he said.

It is known that thousands are without food, shelter and clean water, and aid workers say boats and helicopters are needed to reach remote areas.  Look at satellite pictures of the damage by the flooding »

The United Nations has issued a "flash appeal" to its members to raise $187.3 million in cyclone relief for Myanmar. That amount is based on a quick assessment of needs by more than 20 organizations, and it includes $56 million for food, nearly $50 million for logistics and about $20 million for shelter.

Myanmar officials have agreed to allow a U.S. cargo plane loaded with supplies to land in Yangon on Monday, said Gordon Johndroe, the White House deputy press secretary.

A U.S. military C-130 cargo plane loaded with food and medicine sits on an airstrip in Thailand and is likely to be the first American relief flight into Myanmar on Monday, a senior U.S. military official said.

And the World Food Programme, which had suspended relief flights after the Myanmar government blocked the U.N. agency from distributing supplies it flew into Yangon on Friday, said it would resume emergency airlifts Saturday.

Saturday's flights are coming from the United Arab Emirates, India and Cambodia and will be filled with high-energy biscuits, ready-to-eat meals, and logistical support and equipment, such as boats, to reach isolated areas, the WFP said.

A senior U.N. official said the WFP had not gotten clearance from Myanmar authorities for those flights to land at Yangon International Airport, which is a military facility. It was too late Friday to get the approvals.

And it was still undetermined whether the WFP would be allowed to have its personnel control and distribute the supplies, as required by U.N. rules. It was that issue that initially prompted the agency to say it was suspending its flights.

"The World Food Programme has decided to send in two relief flights as planned tomorrow, while discussions continue with the government of Myanmar on the distribution of the food that was flown in today, and not released to WFP," said Nancy Roman, the agency's director of public policy and communications, on Friday.

Two WFP flights arrived in Yangon on Friday carrying enough high-energy biscuits to feed 95,000 people, but the supplies were taken at the airport by Myanmar authorities.

WFP's chief spokeswoman in North America, Bettina Luescher, said at a news conference that the agency "did not have access" to the supplies and didn't know where they were.

On Thursday, the WFP had airlifted enough biscuits for 21,000 people, most of which has been delivered, Roman said. The United Nations has had an ongoing program in Myanmar, involving 15 international and 225 local staffers.

Luescher said Friday that "things are very fluid," meaning events were changing quickly. iReport.com: Send your photos and videos

Meanwhile, many children in the cyclone-stricken areas were suffering from diarrhea, said Shantha Bloemen, a spokeswoman for UNICEF in Bangkok, Thailand.

"We're already getting diarrhea cases. ... Some of the assessments were saying 20 percent rates of diarrhea among children," she said.

"It's already a leading killer in the country, and we're very, very concerned about the number of children who are going to suffer and who are potentially at risk."

Storm survivors are living in cramped conditions without adequate water and sanitation. Diseases such as cholera and measles also can spread quickly, she said.

Vivian Tan, spokeswoman for the U.N.'s High Commissioner for Refugees, said the office is moving stored tents and plastic sheeting from the Myanmar-Thai border to Yangon. The materials will be hauled by truck, and the trip will take two days, she said.

Despite urging by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Myanmar officials plan to go ahead Saturday with a national constitutional referendum aimed at strengthening the power of the military junta.

The government has delayed voting in areas most ravaged by Saturday's cyclone but refused to cancel the balloting countrywide.