UNICEF emergency supplies reaching Sri Lanka flood victims

These supplies are 4,961 hygiene kits (washing kits to last a family of five a month including towels, soap, toothpaste, washing powder), 10,000 plastic buckets, 15,000 sleeping mats, and 150 community cooking pots (150 litre capacity).

This second consignment of goods follows seven truck-loads of supplies sent by UNICEF to assist the one million people affected by the massive flooding. This first consignment comprised: 50 water tanks (1,000 litres each), water tablets able to purify two million litres of water, 7,000 tarpaulins, chlorine bleaching powder for equipment sterilising, 7,000 sleeping mats, 3,000 buckets, 30,000 bars of soap and cooking pots.

Children are among the most vulnerable in these floods. Many cannot swim and some are too fragile to fend for themselves.

UNICEF’s consignments have been handed over to local government officials who are working with the Sri Lankan military in order to distribute badly-needed goods to the displaced. The Batticaloa and Ampara districts are particularly badly hit.

Government reports state 27 people have killed, 47 injured and more than 367,000 displaced by the floods.
No rain fell Thursday) but rain fell again Friday.

These consignments of UNICEF support are part of a wider Government and UN effort to support the affected communities. As most roads are impassable by vehicle, the Sri Lankan military is using boats to deliver much-needed aid. The UN is preparing to launch an emergency fund-raising appeal.

ENDS

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