Meanwhile, hungry crowds of survivors stormed a few shops that opened yesterday in Arrawaddy (Irrawaddy) delta, Paul Risley, a spokesman for the UN World Food Programme in Bangkok, said, quoting agency workers in the area.
“Fist fights are breaking out,” he said.
Corpses floated in salty floodwaters and witnesses said survivors tried desperately to reach dry ground on boats using blankets as sails. The UN said as many as 1 million people were homeless.
A Yangon resident who returned home from the area said people were drinking coconut water because of a lack of safe drinking water. He said many people were on boats using blankets as sails.
Local aid groups were distributing rice porridge, which people were receiving in dirty plastic shopping bags because all their kitchenware was lost, he said. The man spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared retribution from authorities for talking to a foreign news agency.
TAIWANESE AID
In a statement last night, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Taiwanese government would provide aid by sending the International Headquarters SAR Taiwan rescuers to Myanmar, and donate US$200,000 for post-disaster reconstruction projects.
There are no reports of Taiwanese residing in Myanmar being injured, the ministry said.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Also see: People scramble to survive in Nargis’ wake
Also see: Helping ordinary Burmese comes first
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