YANGON, Myanmar — The U.S. military said Friday that it is keeping 22 helicopters on standby in case Myanmar’s junta reverses its rejection of copter help for cyclone victims, saying the aircraft could ferry emergency supplies to most survivors within three days.
Myanmar’s government, meanwhile, lashed out at its citizens and foreign media for what it called distorted coverage of the aftermath of the devastating May storm. It said the country’s image had been tarnished by false claims that aid isn’t getting through to people.
U.N. officials and aid groups have criticized the regime for hindering aid work, which they say has kept enough food, water and shelter from reaching about 1 million survivors.
The top U.N. humanitarian official, John Holmes, said in New York that there are now “relatively few people” who have not received any sort of help, but he stressed that “this aid effort needs to be stepped up further.”
The new offer of U.S. military help came after four Navy ships loaded with helicopters and relief supplies sailed away Thursday from the coast of Myanmar, where they had been for three weeks in hopes of getting permission to provide assistance.
