UN scales up humanitarian supplies to flood-affected Somalia

[Deeq A.]

The UN agencies and other partners said Monday they have scaled up humanitarian response, providing food to address the short-term nutrition needs of flood-affected families across Somalia.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and other partners facilitated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) joined the national efforts to provide immediate assistance to tens of thousands of people affected by floods that have devastated parts of Somalia especially central Somali district of Beletwyene.

“This is food that doesn’t need preparation and can support children, mothers, and everybody else who will need immediate response,” said Caesar Arroyo, director of WFP in Somalia said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

Arroyo said that the agency was working closely with the authorities to deliver relief items to affected families. The agency had delivered by road and airlifted over 260 tonnes of critical relief supplies, including high-energy biscuits.

Arroyo added that WFP would continue delivering food to support about 4,000 households or about 24,000 beneficiaries.

Heavy seasonal rains triggered floods along the Juba and Shabelle rivers in Hirshabelle, Jubaland and SouthWest regions.

According to the UN, about 270,000 people in Beletweyne district alone have been affected, and casualties have been reported. Farmland and infrastructure have been destroyed and livelihoods disrupted in some of the worst-hit areas.

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