World Food Programme Executive Director travels to cyclone-hit Mozambique
ROME/BEIRA – The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, David Beasley, is to travel tomorrow to Mozambique to draw attention to the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai.
Satellite imagery has shown floodplains that included an “inland ocean” 125km by 25km, the size of Luxembourg.
WFP has launched a major operation rushing supplies to the area and has so far reached more than 115,000 people with emergency food assistance.
Helicopters are airdropping High Energy Biscuits and specialized foods to prevent and treat malnutrition to stranded communities cut off by the floodwaters.
Easy-to-prepare fortified food is also being distributed to displaced flood victims sheltering in schools and other public buildings in and around Beira.
Large quantities of food are being procured elsewhere in the southern Africa region and trucked and shipped to Mozambique.
On Tuesday in Beira the Executive Director will meet flood victims, government officials, humanitarian responders and give a briefing to the media at the airport at 6pm local time.
On Wednesday in Maputo he will meet the President Nyusi, members of the government, the UN country team and WFP staff members.
The Executive Director and other WFP spokespeople will be available for interview. New broadcast quality video and hi-res photos will also be made available (see details below).
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The United Nations World Food Programme - saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.
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