The death toll in the Burmese cyclone may reach 80,000. There are 22,000 confirmed deaths and up to 60,000 people still missing. The killer storm struck the country on Saturday and caused widespread destruction. Millions of people are without electricity, food or clean drinking water. Reporters say the capital, Rangoon, looks like a war zone. Hundreds of homes have been flattened by the winds, and uprooted trees are blocking the streets. This is making it difficult for emergency supplies to reach people in need. Residents say it is the worst storm to hit their city in living memory. United Nations disaster experts say it will take many days to find out exactly how many people died in the deadly winds. The current fear is that diseases such as cholera will break out as people drink dirty water. The normally secretive Burmese government is allowing aid agencies to help with relief efforts. It seems the damage to cities, towns and rural communities is too great for the government to cope with alone. A UN spokesperson said Burma’s military rulers were, "having as much trouble as anyone else in getting a full overview of the destruction”. Naing Aung from the Forum for Democracy in Burma said: “International expertise in dealing with natural disasters is urgently required….The military regime is ill-prepared to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone.” There are now fears that the cyclone will further push up world rice prices. Rice has already increased in price by 75 per cent in the past year. Burma is a key exporter of the food staple to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.