Children Affected by Floods in Laos Need Urgent Support
UNICEF and partners working to save lives and meet urgent needs of most vulnerable children
VIENTIANE, LAO PDR (July 25, 2018) – UNICEF is working with the Government of Lao PDR and development partners to provide essential support and services to around 6,331 people, including children, affected by the floods in Attapeu province (Southern Laos).
“We are deeply saddened by the news in Attapeu. It is imperative that we meet urgent humanitarian needs and ensure the safety of children and families who have been displaced by the floods,” said Octavian Bivol, UNICEF Representative in Lao PDR. “Based on a primary assessment conducted by the Government, there are more than 1,300 families that urgently need tents for emergency shelter and other non-food Items such as family kits and personal hygiene kits.”
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the National Disaster Prevention and Control Committee, and in coordination with other UN agencies, UNICEF is releasing immediate support for about 1,500 households through the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene supplies which will reach the affected communities within the next 24-48 hours.
UNICEF is working closely with local authorities and other partners to determine the most urgent needs and is deploying a team to support immediate relief efforts over the next few hours and the coming days.
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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. UNICEF USA supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org
For more information, please contact
Erica Vogel, UNICEF USA, 212.922.2480, evogel@unicefusa.org