Monsoon rains threaten Myanmar cyclone survivors-UN
* Aid for cyclone victims vital as monsoon season approaches
* Many 2008 cyclone survivors still in temporary shelter
* Myanmar receives lowest level of overseas development aid
By Jonathan Lynn
GENEVA, May 12 (Reuters) - One year after Cyclone Nargis devastated a swathe of Myanmar, and with the monsoon rains setting in once more, survivors need increased international aid to prevent more deaths, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
Cyclone Nargis swept across Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta and southern Yangon on May 2, 2008, killing nearly 140,000 people and displacing 2.4 million.
"With the monsoon coming we are facing the humanitarian crisis again," Mariko Sato, rapid response coordinator for the U.N. human settlements programme UN-HABITAT, told a media conference.
"Tarpaulins and thatch are being torn and dilapidated and destroyed so that needs to be replaced immediately before the monsoon comes," she said.
The world community donated $315 million to the army-ruled former Burma in the aftermath of the disaster, said Bishow Parajuli, U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar. That money went on food, livelihood assistance, shelter, agriculture, medical care and schools.
But with rice paddy fields inundated with sea water and many people still living in temporary shelter, more is needed.
The U.N., Myanmar and its southeast Asian neighbours launched a three-year $691 million recovery plan in February.
So far about $100 million has come in, he said.
Following the cyclone, Myanmar families received $23 on average to repair thatched roofs, Sato said. That compares with an average of $10,000 per family in Sri Lanka for shelter after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
As a result, many survivors are still living in poorly covered shelters vulnerable to bad weather.
Because many countries impose sanctions on Myanmar in protest at its military junta's policies, the country receives the lowest level per head of overseas development aid -- $2.88 -- of any country, Parajuli said.
"If you visit the people of Myanmar and look into the various development and humanitarian challenges I think it is important that the level of support is increased," he said.
Parajuli said the U.N. was working with Myanmar authorities to help the government contribute more to recovery and was encouraging them to reinstate a recently cancelled fast-track visa programme to let aid workers into the country more quickly.
Parajuli denied reports that aid was being diverted, and said the authorities were allowing the 17-18 U.N. agencies and more than 50 non-governmental organisations working in the country to deliver it directly to communities.
"Aid can be delivered, and aid is being delivered, and it is absolutely fully accounted for, and there is a very transparent mechanism," Parajuli said. "What is the problem is that we have the lowest level of aid coming in."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in February that sanctions had not worked and new ways to sway the regime must be found. (Editing by Louise Ireland) (For more information on humanitarian crises and issues visit www.alertnet.org)
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