Timor Leste: UN peacekeepers help with delivery of aid supplies to flood victims

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste is distributing relief supplies to communities in the southwest of the small South-East Asian country that have been hit by recent floods.

Rice, cooking utensils and mosquito nets are among the items being airlifted by helicopter to Covalima district, the region hardest hit, according to a press release issued today by the mission, known as UNMIT.

More than half a ton of rice has now been delivered to people in need in the past two weeks.

Finn Reske-Nielsen, the Secretary-General’s Acting Special Representative for Timor-Leste, and UNMIT Police Commissioner Luis Carrilho joined senior Timorese Government officials today in a visit to Zumalai, a town in the flood zone, to meet with community leaders and others affected by the inundations.

Mr. Reske-Nielsen said UNMIT would continue to help the Government – which is leading the humanitarian effort – to deliver supplies to those in need.