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Show DAILY AS HERALD Saturday. May 17, 2008 Death toll from Myanmar cyclone nearly doubles The toll was nearly double the 43,000 prev iously reported, ThE ASSOCIATED PRESS The YANOON, Myanmar official death toll nearly doubled to 78,000 from Myanmar's killer cyclone as heavy rains on Friday lashed much of the area stricken two weeks ago, further hampering relief efforts. Aid workers shackled by the country's military regime struggled to get even the most basic data about the needs of up to 2.5 million survivors. The Red Cross warned that a lack of clean water may swell the ranks of the dead. Myanmar state television said the official death count from the May 3 cyclone was 77,738, with 55,917 others but the TV announcement suggested k might be close to a final figure. It said the government had "carried out and relief work and collection of data, promptly, immediately and extensively." The release of the figures led to dire warnings from the United Nations and renewed calls for the military regime to allow international aid workers access to devastated areas. "More than two weeks after the event, we are at a crffical point," said UN. Secretary-Gener"Unless Ban more aid gets into the country we face the risk quickly of an outbreak of infectious search-and-resc- al 1 oD-- Y diseases that could dramatically worsen today's crisis." e Ripert, France's ambassador to the U.N., criticized the junta for refusing to allow a French navy ship to deliver 1,500 tons of food, drugs and medication to the Irrawaddy delta using small boats. He said refusing to allow aid to be delivered to those in need "could lead to a true crime against humanity if we go on like that." Myanmar's ruling junta, meanwhile, put up a security cordon around Yangon to restrict travel to the Irrawaddy delta, where scenes of devastation were rife. A small tour to the disaster zone arranged for today will give diplomats their first do it on their own," The junta maintains it has the situation under control But took at the effects of the after two weeks, the U.N. recyclone and at the government mains largely in the dark about relief effort. the situation on the ground. John Holmes, U.N. undersec"We simply dont have the infor huretary-general manitarian affairs, was to go formation, and I cant say when we will have it," said Steve to Myanmar on Sunday in an attempt to persuade the junta to Marshall, a UN. official who admit more U.N. relief workers just left Myanmar. The Red Cross has put the and to greatly increase aid efforts, said Amanda Pitt, a U.N. death toll as high as 128,000 and the most recent official figures spokeswoman in Bangkok, Thailand. on dead and missing have the U.N. saying the number could "If you look at the situation with China, they have accepted easily reach 130,000. relief and assistance teams The highest death estimate is from Russia, Taiwan and Jacarried by the British governpan," Pitt said, referring to the ment's Department for International Development, which response to the earthquake there. "They know they cant says that "unofficial estimates suggest the number of dead or missing is in the region of up-clo- 217.000." The department said the estimate was reported to them by sources on the ground with knowledge of the situation. They gave no other details and said the estimates could not immediately be verified. The UN. estimates some 1.5 million to 2.5 million survivors are in desperate need of food, water, shelter and medical care. "If the storm was so massive that it's basically swept away, killed 130,000 people, we can only imagine what it's done to settlements on the ground," said Stephanie Bunker, a New York-basespokeswoman for Holmes. d is A " " )ay V i ., vs. . VS. .S!j's:t)3'fH ; . j 1 ..... 1 - ) TRY-O- N 1 A t ! SWIMSUIT, PLAY 1 r -- ; 0n3rDrc,,,tqimer.,Ses"' . . pi ! i j K'Jetails. :yees and ti. , ilkrd's The Style of Your Life. Earn $20 in Dillard's Reward Certificates when you purchase two or more pairs of shoes on your Dillard's Card in the Dillard's Ladies' Shoe Department between May 2008. Minimum spend of $ 00 required. - 'Sutijea 13-2- 1 j J L apprmal SiUO of nd puithascs ImtfctanJiic billing cjclts Mu your aitcmcni whin and Jirecion of Dsliard'i Ik. arc iwi eliptilt. purchase See two lea in, adjuslmcnis and returns) or more pairs of Regards Piognm icmw shoe to io qualify. y 0-- 2-- 6 must bt Ok offer CarJholJcf Agnxmeni 1 9 at all Dillard's locatlona. nd Sunday 1 Shop at Provo Towns Centra. In Salt Laks City at Fashion Placs and South Towns Center. In Ogden, at Newgate Mall. In Logan, at Cache Valley Mall. We welcoma your Dillard'i Credit Card, The American Express Card, Diners Club International, Mastercard Visa and The Discover Card. Monday-Saturda- In Provo, " i ' lo crcdil nuJc per account. or applicaiion iting your Dilljnl's Employees, officers for nxw deuili. |