BANGKOK - NEARLY three quarters of those who survived Myanmar's devastating cyclone lack enough food to last more than a week and remain in desperate need of help, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

More than 138,000 people were killed or remain missing in the wake of Cyclone Nargis hitting southwest Myanmar on May 2 and 3.

Only 45 per cent of survivors are getting food from international aid agencies, according to a report by the United Nations and the Southeast Asian bloc Asean, which conducted a detailed assessment of the worst-affected areas.

More than 28 per cent of people affected by the storm said they have no food supplies, while 18 per cent said they had enough food for one day. Around 25 per cent said their stocks would last for up to a week.

The Irrawaddy Delta region, a key rice-growing and agricultural area, bore the brunt of the storm and is home to most of the 2.4 million people the UN says were affected.

About 60 per cent of households still do not have adequate access to clean water, the report said, while many farmers are out of work after their fields and livestock were wiped out.

'More immediate, life-saving relief needs remain to be provided ... humanitarian relief efforts should continue to cover unmet needs,' the UN said.

While no major outbreak of disease was found, the assessment teams discovered that 22 per cent of people were suffering from psychological stress.

Asean sent about 250 people into Myanmar earlier this month to assess the damage, after weeks of stalling by Yangon's military regime.

The junta was heavily criticised after the cyclone for its delays in letting foreign aid in to the isolation nation.

It took a personal visit from UN chief Ban Ki Moon to prompt a relaxation of their stance, including permission for the Asean teams to do their work.

The Asean-UN report released on Wednesday was compiled with half the data collected from their mission. A full report has been promised on July 3. -- AFP

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