The United Nations has estimated 1.5 million people who have been “severely affected” by the cyclone that swept through Myanmar, as the United States expressed outrage with the country’s junta over delays in allowing in aid.

In Myanmar, despairing survivors awaited emergency relief on Friday, a week after 100,000 people were feared killed by Cyclone Nargis as it roared across the farms & villages of the low-lying Irrawaddy delta region.

Zalmay Khalilzad, US Ambassador to the United Nations said in his statement, “We’re outraged by the slowness of the response of the government of Burma to welcome & accept assistance. It’s clear that the government’s ability to deal with the situation, which is catastrophic, is limited”.

The UN food agency & Red Cross/Red Crescent said they had finally started flying in emergency relief supplies after foot-dragging by Myanmar’s military rulers.