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Dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters is work that usually requires international co-operation. Few countries have the resources or infrastructure to cope with the immense relief effort required to bring food and shelter to thousands of shocked victims.
This is certainly the case in Myanmar which suffered a direct hit from Cyclone Nargis on Friday and lost thousands of its civilians. The scale of the damage is only just emerging and the death toll is expected to rise.
The former capital of Yangon was battered for hours by gales that tore hundreds of roofs off even the sturdiest buildings and littered the streets with uprooted trees and fallen power lines. But as bad as the situation was in the city it was much worse in the countryside where buildings are less sturdy and there is less shelter.
Certainly aid workers were most concerned about the Irrawaddy delta area. Official newspapers in Yangon said only a quarter of the flimsy bamboo houses in the area had managed to stay upright.
Apart from the loss of human life the devastation to the area's fragile economy will take many years to overcome. Roads are inaccessible and many small villages were hit and will take time to reach.
It is difficult enough to provide food and shelter for the victims who have lost their homes and livelihoods. The ruling authorities in Myanmar had, till late yesterday, rejected international aid and, if they had stuck to their guns, it would have only made a terrible situation much worse.
Unless international aid and rescuers are allowed unhindered access to the country, the recovery process will take longer. And Myanmar's image already at an all-time low internationally is likely to increase anger and pessimism among its neighbours.
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