Australia pledges $23.4 mln to Myanmar storm victims

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia dramatically increased its aid contribution to the cyclone victims of Myanmar on Sunday, pledging an extra A$22 million to taking its total offer to A$25 million ($23.4 million).

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in a statement that half of the money would go to the United Nations Flash Appeal, while the rest would be delivered through international aid agencies working in the worst affected areas in Myanmar.

Smith said access to Myanmar for aid workers remained the biggest challenge after Cyclone Nargis blew into the Irrawaddy delta on May 3 and stirred up huge waves, killing more than 23,000 people with 37,000 missing.

The United Nations estimates that 1.5 million people are in need of food, shelter and clean water more than a week after the storm and are threatened by disease.

Aid experts, accustomed to gaining access to disaster zones within 48 hours, were still waiting in Bangkok and other cities for visa applications to be approved by the military government.

"While the international community is responding well to the immense needs, if the Burmese regime were prepared to fully open its doors, a massive increase in delivery of humanitarian assistance would be possible," Smith said.

Governments and international aid groups around the world have complained that Myanmar's ruling military, while accepting assistance, has responded slowly to the disaster.