What happened in Myanmar over the weekend was not as devastating in terms of human lives as the tsunami that rocked South East Asia on Boxing Day in 2004, but the international community should have reacted more quickly than it did when the cyclone hit – and the Myanmar authorities should have been more ready to accept this help too.

So far, the death toll in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, rose above 22,000 on Tuesday, climbing up rapidly from the initial estimates a day before which had set the number of victims somewhere between 4,000 and 10,000. Another 41,000 are reported missing, which means that the death toll could treble, while some one million people have been left homeless.

Four years ago, when the tsunami hit Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, the number of people who died reached 225,000 and the countries affected are still picking themselves up from the disaster.

Hours after it became clear that the tsunami was one of the worst ever catastrophes to hit humankind in recent history, the wheels of the international community had started rolling to help the countries involved – and their peoples – to rebuild for themselves a new life.

Even tiny Malta had, through a movement of solidarity that was hastily put up, contributed in no small way to help ease the pain and suffering of the people who survived – but who had lost their families and the little that they had possessed before the waves took everything away.

Things seem to be moving a little bit more slowly for Myanmar. It seems that the international community took long to react to the reports that were coming in about the devastation that had hit this Asian nation, perhaps not immediately realising the extent of the damage that had been caused. It was even more difficult considering the reluctance with which the Myanmar authorities accepted this support.

Thankfully, food assistance started to be provided to the survivors through the United Nations’ World Food Programme on Tuesday, although it must also be said that many coastal areas still remain cut off because of flooding and road damage. Some of the areas involved have been “close to 100 per cent destroyed”, according to reports.

Travel and visa obstacles made it even harder, according to international media, and there were initial reports that countries that had offered their assistance did not find that much cooperation, delaying such help even further. It was only later that the Myanmar authorities gave the go ahead to set the ball rolling, although there are still problems to be surmounted in how the supplies are to be distributed and how much the affected areas can be reached.

Several countries have over the past few days pledged their support – in cash and in kind – to help bring matters back to normal, if they will ever be for the people and area involved. These include the United States, the European Union (with 25 per cent of the EU donation coming from France), China, Australia and several European countries on their own individual steam. The Maltese government has as yet to commit itself on the matter.

Some countries have minimised the aid they are providing because of the lack of confidence they have in how the Myanmar authorities will be using the money, preferring to send supplies instead.

Myanmar deserves all the help it can get after such a disaster, and the international community should do its utmost to offer its support. There are thousands of people waiting to be helped.