Nearly three months after Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar, signs of destruction still decorate the countryside in the color of blue.

The blue markers, visible from the air, are the tens of thousands of tarpaulins shipped in by agencies such as Atlanta-headquartered CARE to give people temporary shelter or to cover roofs stripped away by the winds.

The spots of blue became apparent to Rigo Giron, CARE's Director of Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance last week on helicopter ride out of the southeast Asian country.

Giron spent six days there overseeing CARE's operations and traveling by boat to damaged areas. He said each tarpaulin became a bit of proof that help is reaching the isolated coastal areas.

"But one thing that did strike me was that there are some areas of the [Irrawaddy River] delta that have not received aid after three months," he said.

The flow of help has been hindered because the river delta is huge and most travel is by water.

Of the 2.5 million people affected, an estimated 1 million have yet to receive help, he said.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is ruled by a junta that is leery of outsiders, and initially international aid agencies also had trouble getting permission to come in to help.

Giron said that has changed. CARE has been able to get visas for the technical experts they need to coordinate the huge logistical effort. The agency has been working in the country through local staff members for over a decade. CARE has more than 800 employees working there.

The non-governmental organizations at work there are doing a good job of coordinating the tons of foods and supplies still flowing into the country, he said.

Giron reports that in some villages, as many as 40 percent of the people died. An estimated 140,000 people are dead or missing and more than 750,000 homes were destroyed or damaged.

"The spirit of the people is something," Giron said. "It was moving for me to hear the school children singing at the top of their lungs. Honestly, that is a sign of hope and that people want to get on with their lives."

CARE raised more than $13 million for Myanmar relief and hopes to raise another $3 million. It expects to be working to help people rebuild infrastructure and their lives until 2011, Giron said.

TO HELP:

CARE

www.care.org

800-521-2273

CARE

151 Ellis St. NE

Atlanta, GA 30303-2440

(designate check for Myanmar aid)

American Red Cross

www.redcross.org

1-800-435-7669

American Red Cross

P.O. Box 4002018

Des Moines, IA 50340-2018

(designate check for Myanmar aid)

Unicef USA

www.unicefusa.org

1-800-486-4233

Unicef USA

125 Maiden Lane

New York, NY 10038

(designate check for Myanmar aid)