First British Aid Arrives In Cyclone-Ravaged Myanmar

Yangon, Myanmar (AHN) - The first consignment of British aid has reached Myanmar amid torrential rains, the first of four consignments that the U.K. plans to send as part of an aid package worth 5 million pounds sterling.

The first consignment, comprised of plastic sheeting for temporary shelters, was being sent from a government store in Dubai.

Myanmar was ravaged when Cyclone Nargis struck a week ago. Around 100,000 people are estimated to have died.

Severe rains were again expected on Tuesday, which international rescue agencies are fearing will worsen the crisis.

The British queen also made a significant donation towards the relief effort.

Thousands of kilometers of land is still underwater. In the Irrawady Delta there is a lack of shelter and potable water -leading to fears about diseases like cholera and fever.

The first U.S. aid flight was allowed to land Monday after days of negotiation.

The United Nations has criticized the country's military junta for hampering the aid effort. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, "Today is the 11th day since Typhoon Nargis hit Myanmar. I want to register my deep concern and immense frustration at the unacceptably slow response to this grave humanitarian crisis," reported Voice of America News.

Ban said that the junta has to be more pro-active in addressing the situation. He said the U.N. and its agencies are ready with aid but restricted movement within the country is proving an obstacle.

He told The Telegraph, "Unless more aid gets into the country - very quickly - we face an outbreak of infectious diseases that could dwarf today's crisis. I therefore call, in the most strenuous terms, on the government of Burma to put its people's lives first. It must do all that it can to prevent this disaster from becoming even more serious."