Update on Humanitarian Assistance to Honduras

United Nations humanitarian agencies have been working in Honduras, where floods following a tropical depression forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. 

A UN team sent by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and UN agencies have begun allocating more than $300,000 to help with relief efforts.  An estimated 270,000 Hondurans need some form of assistance because of heavy rainfall and flooding that followed the tropical depression on October 16.

The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that it has distributed nearly 60 tons of food to some 5,500 families, but estimate a need for at least an additional 2,500 tons of food.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that it was distributing supplies and was planning to rehabilitate damaged water systems and schools.

The World Health Organization (WHO) mobilized medical teams and is working with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to provide assistance, especially on improving water and sanitation. 

(mew)