'I am deeply saddened to learn about the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Nargis over the weekend . My heart goes out to the people of Myanmar who have been affected by the tragedy,' said Mr George Yeo (above) in a letter to Myanmar's foreign minister. -- PHOTO: AFP

Foreign Minister George Yeo has written to his Myanmar counterpart U Nyan Win to convey his sympathies and Singapore's offer of help.

Said Mr Yeo in his letter: 'I am deeply saddened to learn about the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Nargis over the weekend . My heart goes out to the people of Myanmar who have been affected by the tragedy.'

'If there is any way Singapore can help, please do not hesitate to let us know.'

According to state televsion on Monday, the death toll from the cyclone has reached 3,969, and thousands more may have been killed in the disaster.

Another 2,869 people were officially listed as missing, it said, adding that tens of thousands more may have been killed in the remote towns of Bogalay and Labutta in the Ayeyawaddy (Irrawaddy) delta.

Ptorm. MRTV reported aid agencies as saying that hundreds of thousands of people were without shelter and drinking water in the military-ruled Southeast Asian country.

Earlier official reports put the death toll at 351, but the number of casualties had been expected to rise as authorities made contact with hard-hit islands and villages in the Irrawaddy delta, the country's rice bowl.

The Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy in Yangon are closely monitoring the situation in Myanmar in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.

'Our Embassy has been in touch with a majority of the Singaporean community in the country and will continue to try to contact the remainder. There have been no reports thus far of any injuries to any Singaporean as a result of Cyclone Nargis,' said an MFA statement on Monday.

Food and fuel prices soared in Yangon on Monday as aid agencies scrambled to deliver emergency supplies and assess the damage from Cyclone Nargis after it slammed into the delta region.

The military has not issued an appeal for help since the Category 3 storm packing winds of 190 kph (120 mph).

In Yangon, many roofs were ripped off even sturdy buildings, suggesting damage would be severe in the shanty towns that lie on the outskirts of the city of 5 million people.

Mr Michael Annear, regional disaster chief for the International Red Cross, said emergency supplies were being handed out from stockpiles in Myanmar, but more was needed.

Read also: Myanmar cyclone death toll reaches 3,969: state television