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As Mali copes with recent floods, UN delivers relief supplies

As Mali copes with recent floods, UN delivers relief supplies

The United Nations humanitarian wing has delivered more than 30 tons of relief supplies to authorities in Mali, where recent floods have left thousands of people homeless and raised the risk of waterborne diseases and malnutrition.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the supplies, which arrived yesterday by UN plane in the capital, Bamako, include electrical generators, a rapid rescue boat, water purification units, water cisterns, tents, water filtering units, jerry cans, blankets, kitchen sets and soap.

The supplies, valued at more than $370,000, result from a contribution from the Italian, Norwegian and Irish Governments. The UN Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) has already provided over $1 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) so they can assist the population over the next three months.

M. Joseph Byll-Cataria, the UN Resident Coordinator in Mali, said the delivery of relief supplies by OCHA completes the UN country team’s measures to help national authorities deal with the floods.

More than 42,000 Malians remain affected, according to the latest Government estimates, with many people now homeless and having to take shelter in makeshift accommodation, such as schools. The risk of malaria and other diseases has also increased.

Mali is one of more than a dozen countries across West Africa that since July and August have been struck by some of the region’s worst floods in decades.