The World Food Programme (WFP) will launch an emergency food aid operation this week to assist flood-hit people in Myanmar.
According to Ms Sheela Matthew, the WFP resident representative to Myanmar, the programme will provide food support to around 500,000 flood victims.
WFP has been offering flood relief aid since July, and the scale of its operations will now be significantly expanded. The organization plans to distribute one month’s worth of emergency food supplies, including rice, fortified biscuits, and nutritional support, to about 500,000 flood-battered people, meeting their immediate needs.
“This flood, caused by Super Typhoon Yagi, is one of the worst in Myanmar’s modern history. Large parts of the country are submerged, and in some areas, it is the first time in decades they have experienced such flooding. The impact on food security is severe. Even before the floods, more than 13 million people in Myanmar were already facing food shortages in August. Our staff teams are working swiftly to meet these growing needs,” said Ms Sheela Matthew.
Before Typhoon Yagi, WFP had already provided emergency food assistance to around 185,000 flood victims in July and August, when tens of thousands of paddy fields were flooded. — ASH/TKO
