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Background: Aircraft from many countries were arriving at Dacca Airport in East Pakistan on Wednesday (18 November), bringing relief supplies for the countless victims of last week's twin cyclone and tidal wave disaster which devastated much of East Pakistan's island-dotted coast along the Bay of Bengal.

Among the countries represented so far in the international relief operation was West Germany. A Luftwaffe transport arrived, bringing in a load of urgently-needed supplies which were rapidly removed from the aircraft to points for distribution in the worst-hit areas.

A Kuwait Airways Trident, its interior converted for cargo handling, also brought in supplies. A Swiss Charter aircraft was among the first of the international rescue fleet to arrive in Dacca.

Despite world-wide efforts, however, there still remains the question whether aid will arrive in time to save the more than one million homeless victims of the disaster. The death toll has now been officially placed at 150,000, although relief supplies are steadily piling up in Dacca, there is only one helicopter available in East Pakistan to deliver them.

Most of the storm-hit areas are inaccessible, and larger transports are too fast for the pinpoint dropping necessary. The pakistan Government has appealed for helicopters and four crated American aircraft are expected in the area by Friday (20 November).

The first means of transport so far capable of reaching some of the worst-hit islands in the Ganges Delta area are a number of British assault craft. The Royal Navy Assault ship "Intrepid" will sail from Singapore on Friday bringing additional boats and helicopters.

A total of 27 countries have so far pledged air to Pakistan worth 1,100,000 Pounds Sterling in response to an appeal for help by the League of Red Cross Societies to its 112 member countries.