ROME (UCAN) -- Expressing solidarity with victims of Cyclone Nargis in southern Myanmar, Pope Benedict XVI has asked the international community to "respond with generosity and effective relief."

Nargis hit the country early on May 3, leaving an estimated 22,500 dead, 41,000 missing and hundreds of thousands homeless, according to U.N. and government estimates at press time.

The two worst-hit areas were Yangon, the country's largest city, with an estimated population of 6 million, and the low-lying Irrawaddy delta region. Winds of up to 190 kilometers an hour and huge waves reportedly wiped out entire villages in the coastal area and destroyed rice-growing zones.

Myanmar's military leaders have classified the situation as "a calamity" and for the first time in decades have appealed to the outside world for help, but the United Nations has said the government was refusing to waive visa requirements for aid workers.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, conveyed Pope Benedict's concern in a telegram to Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng of Mandalay, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar. The Vatican released the text of the telegram on May 6.

The cardinal said the Holy Father was "deeply saddened by the news of the tragic aftermath of the recent cyclone" and "expresses his heartfelt sympathy." The pope expressed confidence "the international community will respond with generous and effective relief to the needs of the people."

In conclusion, the cardinal said Pope Benedict was asking the archbishop of Mandalay "to convey his solidarity and concern to the civil authorities and to all the beloved people of Myanmar."

According to U.N. relief sources in Myanmar, hundreds of thousands were made homeless by the cyclone, but the number could soon reach 1 million, the Vatican daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, reported in its May 7 edition.

"A terrifying picture" was emerging that induced the military junta, which has ruled the country with an iron fist for decades, to accept international aid, on condition that it be under the supervision of the United Nations, the article said.

Patrick Nicholson, communications officer for Caritas Internationalis, told L'Osservatore that Caritas officials immediately got in touch with Myanmar Church officials to see how best to coordinate the distribution of aid. The Myanmar authorities responded positively and put no conditions on Caritas' work, he said. Caritas has already provided drinking water, food, medical kits and tents for distribution to the distraught population, he said.

Rome-based Caritas Internationalis, according to its website, "is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories."

Caritas Italy has opened a "Myanmar Emergency" bank account so Italians can contribute to the relief effort.

Myanmar's military junta announced on television that the referendum on a new constitution -- which it says will pave the way for a return to democracy but critics charge will entrench military power -- would go ahead as planned on May 10 in most parts of the country. It said voting would be postponed until May 24 in some areas badly hit by the cyclone including Yangon and the Irrawaddy delta.

Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country of 53 million people with around 3 million Christians, 700,000 of them Catholics, has been under military rule since 1962.

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