(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-08 09:20

UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations announced Wednesday that it will allocate a minimum of US$ 10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for Myanmar, where a cyclone has killed at least 22,000 people.

Workers load relief supplies onto a plane chartered by the UN's World Food Programme and bound for Myanmar, at Sharjah International Airport May 7, 2008. [Agencies]

At a press briefing at the UN Headquarters, UN under-secretary- general for humanitarian affairs John Holmes also said that the world body will issue a flash appeal on Friday to raise more money.

He said the death toll is expected to rise in Myanmar, especially in the hardest-hit delta area.

"We are faced here with a major catastrophe, in particular in the Irrawaddy delta of Myanmar," he said.

Twenty-four countries have made specific offers of financial help to Myanmar, totaling about US$ 30 million, he said, adding that six others have also made unspecified offers.

He said that now it is "extremely important" to get as much aid as possible and as quickly and begin to reach the victims.