New Delhi - Though more aid, including an aircraft from the United States , made its way into Burma on Monday, UN agencies and NGOs doubted whether it will reach needy survivors in time.
At least 10 flights of the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) landed in Burma 's former capital Rangoon today, carrying relief material. The first of such aircraft was from the United State 's Army, which flew into Burma from Thailand .
The World Food Program said they have sent three flights with relief materials on Saturday.
Matt Cochrane, media spokesman for IFRC said, "We had 10 flights of aid arriving in Rangoon today, and have further flights planned this week, of which at least nine aircrafts will land on Friday."
"We have been able to send aid but the challenge is whether the relief material reaches the worst affected areas," Matt Cochrane said.
Some of the relief supplies airlifted include tarpaulin, jerry cans to carry water, mosquito nets, emergency shelter kits and hygiene kits Cochrane. He added that they have been able to send in at least nine expert aid workers to Burma .
"We got some experts who have gone into Burma . Their role is to try to make sure that needs can be accessed and identified and reach the right aid to the right people," he added.
Despite being affiliated to the Myanmar Red Cross Society and having been able to send in a few experts, the IFRC said reaching people in the heart of the Irrawaddy delta is still a problem.
Cochrane said one of the main reasons was because nearly all infrastructures have been destroyed. Roads have been damaged and bridges knocked down so communication is extremely difficult.
"So we are carrying relief material by boats," Cochrane said.
An IFRC boat carrying relief supplies on Sunday sank on the Irrawaddy River near Bogale town when it hit a submerged tree root.
"Yesterday [one of] our boats sank in the Irrawaddy area, [but] luckily no one was hurt," Cochrane said.
A US embassy spokesperson in Bangkok said while the Burmese government allowed a C–130 military plane today with relief supplies, their aid workers and experts have not yet been granted Visas.
"They have not got visas yet," said the US embassy spokesperson, who declined to be named, adding that barring experts going into the cyclone affected areas slowed down the process of reaching the most needy victims.
