Philippines: UN Rushes In Relief Supplies For Flood Victims After Typhoon Durian
New York, Dec 5 2006 12:00PM
United Nations agencies are rushing relief supplies for victims of floods and mudslides in the Philippines, where at
least 526 people have been killed, more than 1000 wounded and 740 reported missing in the wake of Typhoon Durian, which
totally destroyed 80,000 homes, damaged more than 150,000 others and affected 1.5 million overall.
The UN World Health Organization (<" http://www.who.int/en">WHO) is giving priority to distributing potable water as well as water purification tablets.
At the Government's request, WHO will also furnish water purification equipment and is pre-positioning enough emergency
health kits to care for 10,000 people for three months, spokesperson Fadéla Chaib <" http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/6618EFCE17472306C125723B003B3F4C?OpenDocument">told a news
briefing in Geneva today.
The UN Children’s Fund (<" http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/HMYT-6W6P4J?OpenDocument">UNICEF) is working on the assumption that 45
per cent of those affected are likely to be children.
Among supplies already provided by UNICEF are tins of sardines, rice, blankets, and water purification tablet, agency
spokesman Michael Bociurkiw told the briefing.
On Friday, UNICEF will send 4,000 family-size tents, large water storage tanks and mosquito nets.
Ends