Jakarta - The humanitarian assistance Indonesia has sent to Myanmar for cyclone victims  arrived at Mandalay Airport in Myanmar at 1:15 local time  on Friday afternoon, according to a report from Yangon.

All the assistance packages were transported to Myanmar by two C-130 Indonesian military Hercules aircraft.

"We were warmly welcomed by Myanmarese government officials on our arrival in Yangoon because they highly appreciate the contribution made by the Indonesian government to help alleviate the sufferings of the country's people from Cyclone Nargis," Abdurahman Saleh Squadron-32 Commander Lt Col Dedy Gazy said over the telephone from Yangoon on Friday.

He said the humanitarian assistance Indonesia contributed to Myanmar totally consisted of 3,325 tons of garments, 150 bales of biscuit, 8,070 tons of blankets, 5,000 pieces of sarong, scores of tents, 13,440 tons of medicine, 774 bags of milk powder and 400 bales of instant noodle.

Earlier on Thursday, Charge d'Affaires at the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta Kyi Maung On expressed his government's appreciation and gratitude to Indonesia for providing the humanitarian assistance for the victims of Cyclone Nargis.

"We really appreciate the contribution made by the Indonesian government for cyclone  victims in our country,"  Kyi Maung On said.

Speaking after a function to mark the handing of the humanitarian assistance for the cyclone victims at  Halim Perdana Kusuma air base, he said  Indonesia and Myanmar were two countries  committed to  mutual assistance, especially in difficult situations  or disasters like what had happened in Myanmar recently.

Meanwhile, Kyodo quoted Myanmar's state radio  as saying that he death toll from the powerful cyclone that hit Myanmar last weekend has risen to 22,980.

It said 42,119 people were still missing and 1,383 injured in Cyclone Nargis that swept  through the country from Friday to Saturday.

International aid started to trickle into Myanmar on Tuesday, as the World Food Program distributed aid supplies in Yangon and other places. The country's military junta has also dropped food and water to the stricken people of the Irrawaddy delta.

A UN department in charge of humanitarian assistance said Wednesday Myanmar had expressed its intention to accept a UN plane carrying aid supplies for cyclone victims.

But the junta has yet to issue visas for five UN staffers waiting in Bangkok for entry into Myanmar, a press officer of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

 - Source : Antara News Agency, 11 May 2008