A regional UNICEF official said there is an urgent need to help children in Myanmar.



Eliane Luthi, of UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, said that many children have lost their homes and are forced to sleep outside, dangerously risking their health.



She added that the humanitarian situation was already dire before the earthquake because of ongoing fighting.



Luthi said that daytime temperatures are rising to 40 degrees and the children are exposed to mosquitoes in areas that are endemic already for diseases such as dengue fever and malaria.



She added, "There's a lack of clean drinking water. So, it's really a combination of very risky factors for children on the ground right now."



She said UNICEF plans to provide about 160 metric tons of supplies such as tents and medicines to affected areas this week by chartered flights. But heavy rains are making relief operations more complicated.



She stressed that UNICEF faces a severe shortage of funds and called on the international community to provide immediate support.



Luthi added, "The needs on the ground are enormous."