PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland-based relief organization Mercy Corps says it is sending its top European official to Myanmar and hopes to have other members of an emergency-response team there in the coming week.

Mercy Corps is not registered to work in Myanmar, but has worked with organizations already on the ground there in the past and hopes to partner with them.

Myanmar's government has made it difficult for humanitarian groups to access the country in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, although it has accepted some outside help.

Myanmar's government has reported 23,000 deaths and a U.S. official there says there could be more than 100,000. United Nations officials say several hundred thousand people are without shelter or drinking water.

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