NEW YORK/BENGHAZI, Libya, 2 September 2011 – Due to critical needs in Tripoli, UNICEF has delivered an additional 500,000 litres of bottled water covering the needs of 24,000 people from vulnerable communities in the Libyan capital.
The shipment arrived yesterday and it is being distributed today through mosques and local organizations.
An additional 3 million litres of water is expected to arrive this weekend to ensure that the emergency needs of 85,000 people are covered for at least one week.
Currently, a total of 11 million litres of water is being procured by UNICEF from neighbouring countries to cover the needs of an approximately half a million people in the coming two weeks.
"UNICEF has increased water delivery to Tripoli,” says Pierre Fourcassie, UNICEF Emergency Water Coordinator. “The ongoing response is critical in saving lives while we are working with water authorities to improve the water systems in Libya.”
A UNICEF technical team is working with Libyan water experts to address the problems at a well field in southwestern Libyan to restore the water supply to Tripoli and other coastal cities as soon as possible.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
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For more information, please contact:
Roshan Khadivi, UNICEF Libya,
Tel +218 923283438
rkhadivi@unicef.org
Patrick McCormick, UNICEF New York,
Tel + 1 212 326 7426,
pmccormick@unicef.org
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