The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is joining other aid organizations in responding to survivors of Tropical Cyclone Nargis, a 10-hour storm that killed an estimated 22,000 people and left more than 40,000 unaccounted for when it slammed Myanmar last weekend, the Foreign Ministry said.

ADRA is expected to provide food, water, medical supplies, shelter and clothing for hundreds of thousands of displaced people. In some villages, officials estimate the 130-mph cyclone decimated 95 percent of the homes. Five regions of the Southeast Asian nation remain in a state of emergency, while crews begin tackling downed trees and other debris.

Foreign Ministry officials welcomed international aid yesterday and requested roofing materials, temporary tents, water purifying tablets, blankets and mosquito nets. ADRA emergency response personnel based in Yangon, which sustained a direct hit, are evaluating widespread damage and will focus their relief efforts on the most urgent needs.

ADRA officials said their relief efforts would likely expand in the coming weeks. Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.