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Background: President Yahya Khan handed out blankets and food to villagers on the island of Bhola during a visit on Wednesday (25 Nov) to the flood-stricken area of East Pakistan.

It was the President's first tour of the cyclone-affected areas where more than 150,000 people are officially reported to have died in the storm earlier this month.

The President flew to the area by helicopter as opposition political leaders stepped up their accusations of Government neglect and indifference of the fate of survivors of the disaster.

However, the international relief operation to bring food and supplies to the starving in the area is now in full swing.

After talking to villagers and relief officials the President joined in the handing out of supplies to Bhola island villagers. About six 1bs(2.7 kilos) of food is being made available to each villager under the relief operation. The Peking Government is one of the may countries to have sent food.

In Bhola, nearly one thousand people surrounded the district office and queued for food. The President announced a gift of 15,000 rupees(1,400 sterling). Elsewhere, the President saw Pakistani soldiers repairing roads and communications.

The President was assured by relief officials that supplies were now flowing reasonably freely into the devastated areas.