URGENT
AP
Posted: 2008-05-08 12:51:09
UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The U.N. humanitarian chief is calling the situation in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis “increasingly desperate” and estimates that 1.5 million people have been severely affected.

Undersecretary-General John Holmes warned Thursday that there is a real danger that an even worse tragedy may unfold if desperately needed aid does not arrive quickly.

He says that while four relief flights from the U.N. World Food Program arrived in the capital, Yangon, on Thursday, progress has been limited and “the frustrations have been growing.”

He says that the humanitarian response is being held back because of difficulties of access.