Yangon  - Lack of international funding is threatening a helicopter operation providing vital emergency relief to 2.4 million people affected by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned Friday.

"WFP is leading the way in moving life-saving supplies to distressed communities by boat, truck and air - but it will all grind to a halt by the end of this month unless we get additional funding now," said Chris Kaye, WFP country director for Myanmar.

To date, only about half of the 50 million dollars required for the WFP's logistical operation has been secured and much of that money has already been spent, Kaye said.

Cyclone Nargis smashed in to Myanmar's central coast on May 2-3, leaving more than 133,000 people dead or missing and another 2.4 million in desperate need of food, water, shelter and medicines.

The initial disaster relief effort for the country was hindered by the ruling junta's restrictions placed on incoming aid supplies and international aid workers.

A major "breakthrough" was achieved on May 16, when the military regime gave the UN the go-ahead to bring in 10 WFP helicopters to speed up the delivery of emergency supplies to some of the remote areas of the watery Irrawaddy Delta, which was hard hit by the storm that left thousands without access to basic necessities.

The helicopters were finally delivered last week, and are now running into problems with sufficient funding.

Myanmar, a pariah state among Western democracies because of its atrocious human rights record and refusal to free Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, has been cut off from most sources of international aid since 1988, when the army cracked down on pro-democracy protestors killing some 3,000 people.

While many donors have put politics aside to assist the millions affected by the cyclone, there has been a reluctance to provide aid directly to the government, especially as there is still no authoritative assessment of the damage wrought by the cyclone.

The UN's flash appeal for some 200 million dollars has yet to be met, almost six weeks after the cyclone hit.

WFP's emergency operation to provide food assistance to 750,000 people in Myanmar is also struggling for funds, after receiving only 45 percent of the 69.5 million dollars required, said Kaye. (dpa)