The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said Tuesday that Cyclone Komen has caused extensive damage in Myanmar, hampering relief efforts, including areas where thousands of displaced people are living. "But our teams, as well as other U.N. and non-governmental organizations, have so far managed to reach camps for internally displaced people in Rakhine's provincial capital Sittwe, as well as in nearby townships such as Pauktaw and Myebon," UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva. "In 24 camps assessed so far, a quarter of the temporary shelters are damaged, and more than 21,000 displaced people affected as a result. Several years on from their construction, many of these shelters had become fragile and unable to withstand severe weather," Edwards said. UNHCR will distribute relief aid once assessments are completed, Edwards said. It already has distributed aid such as tarpaulins, blankets, mats, and buckets to those hosted in official reception centers, as well as others who have been affected. According to the Myanmar government, 39 people have died over the past week and more than 200,000 people have been affected by heavy monsoon rains and flooding across the country.
