Unicef steps up India flood aid scheme

20 October 2009

Bihar flood damageThe United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) is supporting thousands of children in India after the country was struck by severe flooding earlier this month.

Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and Raichur in Karnataka are key areas of focus for the aid organisation, which hopes to support some 120,000 people in relief camps in the area as the flood waters recede.

So far, Unicef has provided a number of 5,000 litre water tanks for the Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts, as well as thousands of collapsible jerry cans for the safe storage of water.

The charity's website states: "To ensure that Unicef's ongoing support to the government's efforts is as effective as possible, a multi-sectoral team is currently visiting affected villages to formulate a long-term strategy for relief and rehabilitation in these areas."

Floods hit the south of the country at the beginning of October following prolonged heavy rainfall, damaging 300,000 homes and killing almost 300 people.

Unicef UK raised £42.9 million for Unicef's work with children in 2008.

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