The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) is dispatching emergency life-saving supplies to communities in Tuvalu as part of its efforts to assist communities in the Pacific region that were affected by Tropical Cyclone Pam, with nutrition and hygiene kits arriving Thursday. The archipelago country comprising of nine islands with about 11,000 people has declared a state of emergency, following tidal surges caused by last weekend's cyclone. "Assessment data shows that 42 percent of households in the northern islands of Tuvalu were seriously affected by flooding from tidal surges," said Karen Allen, UNICEF's Pacific representative. "These supplies will help to meet their immediate health needs in the coming days." "We are awaiting assessment information particularly on damages to schools, since we firmly believe that continuation of education in emergency situations is extremely important not only for learning outcomes but also for psycho-social recovery," Allen said.
