Prime Minister Helen Clark

Prime Minister Helen Clark

New Zealand will join the international community to assist Myanmar, following last weekend's devastating cyclone which left 22,000 dead, 41,000 missing and tens of thousands homeless, by contributing $500,000 in aid.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday that $500,000 will be made available through NZAid's Humanitarian Action Fund, and more assistance would be likely once assessments had been made.

She said: "New Zealand NGOs have strong connections with those working on the ground in the region and making this money available will strengthen their response."

The aid would go to reputable organisations such as the Red Cross.

"Our priority is to make sure our assistance gets to those who are most in need, and NGOs are able to reach those communities quickly," she said. "The scale of this devastating cyclone disaster is beginning to emerge and the thoughts of all New Zealanders are with the people of Myanmar."

Myanmar's military regime has made a rare appeal for urgent assistance, and this could be a reflection of the extent of the damage caused by Cyclone Nargis.

The Red Cross, which has volunteers in Myanmar, said up to 1 million people could be affected.

Satellite pictures from the United States space agency Nasa showed virtually the entire coastal plain under water, and other video footage showed flattened villages, smashed bridges and homeless survivors.

Myanmar's Information Minister Kyaw Hsan told reporters at a news conference: "We need help, not only from our nationals but also from overseas. We are greatly thankful to friendly countries which are giving assistance to us."

But yesterday, aid workers continue to battle to get access into the country, one of the poorest in the world, delayed by the regime's refusal to waive visa requirements.

The restrictions have drawn criticism from Helen Clark, who said: "While the international community stands ready to assist, the response is being slowed by the military regime which has so far refused to wave visa requirements for aid workers. If they don't get those people on the ground, they're mostly holding up desperate people getting the help they need."

Oxfam New Zealand's executive director Barry Coates said: "It has been a huge hurdle for aid workers as Myanmar rulers said outside aid workers needed to negotiate to get access into the country."

He said Oxfam overcame the problem by working with partner organisations which were "already working on the ground at a grassroots level".