Over 700,000 children are among the most affected after the onslaught of super typhoon “Rolly,” the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Monday.
(Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
The UNICEF, citing data from the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), said around 68.8 million people are affected, with 24.3 million living in the worst hit areas.
Of the 2.3 million vulnerable living in the most affected areas, an estimated 724,000 are children, it added.
According to authorities, 21 people have lost their lives, including a five-year-old child, due to drowning and falling debris.
The UNICEF also feared that most affected children and their families face risks including exposure to COVID-19 and other diseases due to crowding in evacuation centers.
The UNICEF noted that it is closely monitoring the situation and deeply concerned for the survival, development, and protection of children at risk.
“Children are among the most vulnerable in any emergency. Together with UN agencies and our partners on ground, we remain ready to assist national and local governments across all sectors when called upon,” it said.
It added that it has already prepositioned emergency supplies for families and can quickly mobilize partners and suppliers to augment the government supply if needed.