PORTLAND (AP) — Portland-based relief organization Mercy Corps says it is sending its top European official to Myanmar and hopes to have other members of an emergency-response team there in the coming week.

Myanmar’s government has made it difficult for humanitarian groups to access the country in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, although it has accepted some outside help.

Myanmar has reported 23,000 deaths and a U.S. official there says there could be more than 100,000. United Nations officials say several hundred thousand people are without shelter or drinking water.