WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – More than ten million children will likely be exposed to the damaging effect of Hurricane Irma with hundreds of thousands being at immediate risk of the storm, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a press release on Thursday.
"Based on the storm's current trajectory, children in the islands of the Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are at risk, including over 3 million under 5 years old," the release said. "UNICEF is concerned that hundreds of thousands of children could suffer the worst effects of the storm, with those living in coastal zones at highest risk."
Hundreds of thousands of children may be affected by Hurricane #Irma. UNICEF is already ready to help. @uniceflac, @UNICEF pic.twitter.com/sB06CSki4S
— UNICEF Haiti (@UNICEFHaiti) September 7, 2017
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 7, 2017
Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, ripped through islands of the Eastern Caribbean on Wednesday en route to the US state of Florida, leaving a trail of destruction in its path, especially in Anguila, the British Virgin Islands, Barbuda and Turks and Caicos Islands.
UNICEF is ready to support in response to the Hurricane #Irma wich threatens the lives of thousands of children. pic.twitter.com/7lHcqcItmF
— UNICEF Latin America (@uniceflac) September 5, 2017
UNICEF noted that the immediate concern is providing drinking water and sanitation to affected communities, as well as providing protection services for both children and adolescents, including psycho-social support for those affected.
.@UNICEF prepositioning drinking water & food, and using social media to reach young people ahead of #IrmaHurricane https://t.co/bgi6blnOSy
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) September 6, 2017
