United Nations Radio

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is today launching an appeal to help one and a half million people of Myanmar affected by the devastating cyclone which struck the country last week.

United Nations relief agencies on the ground have already started distributing relief assistance, including high energy biscuits to the people in need.

The spokesperson for the World Food Progrmme, Christiane Berthiaume, says, the agency has more biscuits to feed 100,000 people and over 150 tones of rice in its warehouse in Rangon enough to feed 20,000 people for two weeks.

Ms. Berthiaume says the appeal to be launched today is to replace existing stocks that are being used for the emergency.

"It's quite routine where there is an emergency we do borrow from inside this country where the emergency is if we have stock and from elsewhere. But obviously we need to replenish those stocks so, this is why there is going to be this appeal, and part of this appeal will serve to pay for the replenishment of the stocks that we are borrowing from."

Christiane Berthiaume says the World Food Programme is setting up an office in Laputto, deep in the affected delta.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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