PANAMA CITY – Tropical Storm Eta, which has left more than 200 dead and missing in Central America, has “devastated the lives” of more than 1.2 million children in the region, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
The number of children and adolescents affected by the storm “is expected to increase as relief teams gain access to the worst-affected areas”, said Unicef in a statement.
Eta has caused severe damage throughout Central America, destroying road infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and water and sanitation systems.
More than 110,000 people, including some 44,000 children, have been evacuated to temporary shelters in the seven countries of the region.
“Access to quality water and sanitation has become seriously problematic in the areas most affected by Eta,” said Unicef regional director Bernt Aasen.
“Now, the risk of waterborne diseases is increasing, as is the risk of Covid-19 spreading in shelters.”
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said 2.5 million people are affected by Eta, which first made landfall in Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane.
IOM personnel in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize have distributed thousands of emergency kits, including kitchen sets, mattresses, sheets and hygiene products.
In Honduras alone, 1.8 million people are impacted by the storm, said IOM. – AFP, November 13, 2020
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