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With more rain in the forecast, Burmese officials are still denying U.S. emergency help for hundreds of thousands of people in dire need of help in the wake of Cyclone Nargis.

But there was some positive news Friday for the country's residents as they try to survive the cyclone's devastation.

The United Nations announced it will resume shipments of humanitarian aid to Burma on Saturday.

The announcement came just hours after suspending the deliveries over concerns the country's ruling military junta was seizing the shipments. The country's military junta said it would distribute the aid itself.

Since the cyclone hit, the UN World Food Programme has managed to distribute food staples, like rice, to 24,000 people in Burma, including those in the hardest hit areas, said Caroline Hurford of the UN World Food Programme.

But international relief workers fear the Burmese government's dithering will further postpone relief and make a dire situation even worse. Meanwhile, voting has begun in some areas on a controversial referendum on a new constitution. Human rights groups believe military leaders may be counting on the recent mayhem to maintain power.

The U.S. embassy in Yangon has said that the death toll could eventually exceed 100,000, and thousands of children may be orphaned.

But Hurford told Â鶹´«Ã½net she feels reasonably optimistic that the WFP can work alongside the Burmese government in the coming days.

"We are working with them. We are working around the clock to resolve the issues because we need to reach the most hungry," she said from Rome.

Hurford says the WFP is backing-up stockpiles so aid can be shipped as soon as it's needed.

Earlier Friday, World Food Program spokesperson Paul Risley said all the food and equipment sent to Burma had ended up in the possession of the military junta.

Two planeloads of high-energy biscuits capable of feeding 95,000 people arrived in the cyclone-ravaged Southeast Asian nation on Friday were seized by the military.

Risley said the organization had no choice but to put any further shipments on hold until the aid was released to those who need it.

Risley blasted the military junta for its refusal to allow foreign aid workers into the country to help victims of the cyclone.

He called the junta's actions "unprecedented," saying the WFP has submitted 10 visa applications on behalf of aid workers but none have been approved.

"The frustration caused by what appears to be a paperwork delay is unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts,'' said Risley, who is based in Bangkok, Thailand.

"It's astonishing. We strongly urge the government of Myanmar to process these visa applications as quickly as possible, including work over the weekend."

CTV's Steve Chao, reporting from Bangkok, said UN officials usually try to be diplomatic but it is becoming increasingly difficult.

"They believe that in the next few days they are going to see a number of people dying due to simple things like starvation and water-borne diseases," said Chao.

"It's been seven days since the storm and very little international aid has gotten through."

According to state-media, 22,997 people died and 42,019 are missing following the cyclone, which struck the country's Irrawaddy delta.

In a statement issued Friday, the junta said it was grateful for all of the international assistance but that the best way to help was by sending in material, rather than personnel.

Burma has allowed some Asian neighbours -- such as Thailand and India -- to help. But its ruling junta apparently fears other nations may take advantage of the situation for nefarious reasons.

"The reason behind this, many people believe, is that the Burmese government was trying to hold a referendum, and may still try to hold a referendum, on a new constitution Saturday and the fear is that if foreign groups are allowed in they could influence the vote," said Chao.

"Many people are against this constitution saying it is simply a guise to allow the military rulers to keep rule over the country," said Chao.

Meanwhile, Canadian MPs unanimously adopted a resolution Friday urging Burma to accept international aid. Canada has offered to send its Disaster Assistance Response Team and has pledged $2 million to relief efforts.

The motion also denounced the military junta for failing to open its borders to aid workers and for seizing aid shipments.

On Thursday, Canada offered to send its expert Disaster Assistance Response Team to Burma to help victims.

In addition, Canada has also promised $2 million in aid.

With files from The Associated Press