The Myanmar state radio said on Tuesday that nearly 22,500 people have been killed in last weekend's cyclone, and fears the tally will rise further as the international community prepares to rush aid to the devastated southeast Asian nation.

Some 41 thousand people are believed to be still missing.

The deadly cyclone occurred last Friday and Saturday over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon sustained the most casualties.

The state radio also announced that Myanmar will hold its constitutional referendum as scheduled on May 10.

In Bangkok, at the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, spokesperson Richard Horsey said the United Nations and Myanmar's neighboring countries are scrambling to deliver food, clean water and shelter to survivors.

"Myanmar is welcoming international assistance at this point. They have requested that international assistance be provided, and through the course of yesterday, there were discussions between the UN and the government about the best way to get that assistance first into the country, to extent that additional sources were required, and then out to people who need them. So, that is the practical discussion that we are engaged in now."

A number of other countries and organizations have said they are prepared to follow with aid.

China has promised 500,000 US dollars and an equivalent amount in food and shelter for rescue operations.