From: http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP190040._CH_.2400
HEADLINES
- The military government has a provisional death toll of 10,000, a diplomat says after a briefing from Foreign Minister Nyan Win. Another 3,000 are missing.
- U.N. says Myanmar accepts aid offers, shipments being prepared at once. U.N. says hundreds of thousands of people are without shelter and drinking water. United States says government won't let its disaster assistance response team in.
- Soldiers and police kill 36 prisoners after riot at Yangon's notorious Insein prison in chaos following cyclone, Thailand-based human rights group says.
- Cyclone was a Category 3 storm, with winds of 190 kph (120 mph).
- Junta leaders say they will go ahead with May 10 referendum on a new army-drafted constitution that critics say will entrench the military.
QUOTES
"The basic message was that they believe the provisional death toll was about 10,000 with 3,000 missing," a diplomat tells Reuters in Bangkok after a briefing from Foreign Minister Nyan Win.
"Last time, they came here, just like ants, from where I don't know." - Yangon resident, comparing the reaction of security forces when they cracked down last September on Buddhist monk-led protests against the military junta. "Now I can't see any -- no army, no police."
"The lights went out, we have no water." - local trader, washing in a lake in Yangon. "The storm destroyed so much, I have to take a bath here."
"We know that it's several hundred thousand needing shelter and clean drinking water, but how many hundred thousand we just don't know." - Richard Horsey, U.N. disaster response office.
"The government indicated willingness to accept international assistance through the U.N. agencies. I'd say it was a careful green light. The U.N. will begin preparing assistance now to be delivered and transported to Myanmar as quickly as possible." - World Food Programme spokesman.
