Myanmar Death Toll Rises To Nearly 32,000

YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar raised the official death toll from a powerful cyclone to nearly 32,000 on Monday.

Nearly 30,000 more people remain missing. The United Nations and others have said the toll could go much higher.

The first U.S. relief shipment arrived in the country on Monday.

A U.S. military C-130 cargo plane delivered 14 tons of supplies after prolonged negotiations to persuade Myanmar's military government to accept it.

The operation's spokesman, Lt. Col. Douglas Powell, said the plane was unarmed.

Several Myanmar Cabinet ministers greeted the plane, and the aid was transferred to army trucks.

A government spokesman said military helicopters would ferry it to the worst-hit areas in the Irrawaddy delta.

Two more U.S. shipments are scheduled to land Tuesday.

Allowing the U.S. flight is a huge concession by Myanmar's military government, which sees Washington as its enemy.

The junta has also generally refused to allow international relief experts and slowed down aid delivery by the U.N. with red tape. Myanmar continues to draw heavy criticism for barring foreign disaster experts from the country.

The White House called it "just the beginning."

Press Secretary Dana Perino said, "We hope it gets to the people as quickly as possible."

Up to two million cyclone victims are facing disease and starvation.