WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 08 / 2001 - Date 23 February 2001


This report includes:
(A) Northern Caucasus
(B) Southern Africa 1) Zambia, 2) Mozambique, 3) Angola, 4) Namibia
(C) West and Central Asia 1) Afghanistan, 2) Tajikistan, 3) Pakistan,
    4) Iran
(D) Palestinian Territory
(E) East Timor
(F) Great Lakes 1) Burundi, 2) D.R. Congo
(G) Greater Horn of Africa 1) Kenya, 2) Eritrea, 3) Ethiopia
(H) Sierra Leone


>From Francesco Strippoli, Senior Humanitarian Adviser; available on the
Internet on the WFP Home Page (www.wfp.org), or by e-mail from
Zlatan.Milisic@wfp.org.

For information on resources, donors are requested to contact
Valerie.Sequeira@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2009. Media
queries should be directed to Trevor.Rowe@wfp.org, telephone 39 06 6513
2602. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici,
00148 Rome, Italy.


(A) North Caucasus

a)  On Sunday 18 February, a convoy of 48 trucks carrying humanitarian
supplies from WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF and ECHO entered Chechnya. These were the
first relief goods from the international community to be delivered in
Chechnya since 9 January 2001, when the UN suspended operations after the
kidnapping of Kenny Gluck, an American humanitarian worker. WFP provided
292 tons of wheat flour, filling up 22 trucks of the convoy. The food will
be distributed to a planned caseload of 28,000 beneficiaries in Grozny by
WFP's main implementing partners: the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the
People in Need Foundation.

b)  The humanitarian situation in Chechnya remains alarming. Cold weather
and food shortages have caused a renewal in population movements. In
January, about 1,000 persons abandoned their houses in Chechnya to seek
relief aid in Ingushetia. In the first two weeks of February, 1,700 more
followed.

c)  In the first half of February, DRC and the NGO Islamic Relief
distributed 1,300 tons of food to 86,300 displaced Chechens in Ingushetia,
out of a total target of 158,400 for the entire month.

d)  In the last week, WFP officials met with the Deputy Prime Minister and
other high officials of the Ingush Government. The Government of
Ingushetia reiterated its appreciation for the support of the
international community, but expressed their continued concern about the
economic impact of the crisis. Competition between IDPs (internally
displaced persons) and the local population for limited casual labor
opportunities is apparently causing tensions.

e)  The funding situation of the emergency operation (EMOP) is a matter of
great concern. Out of a total budget of USD 24 million for 2001, only 1.8
million has been formally pledged. As a cost-saving measure, WFP has had
to change the composition of the food basket. Hence, the sugar ration has
been reduced by more than 75%, while only wheat flour is being distributed
to beneficiaries in Chechnya. Further reductions in the quantities
distributed will occur in March.

f)  Urgent contributions, in cash, are required to ensure that the April
distribution cycle proceeds.



(B) Southern Africa

(1) Zambia

a)  WFP urgently appeal for USD 2.6 million to continue feeding some
40,000 refugees in Zambia, who have fled fighting in Angola and the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since June last year. A massive
shortage of basic food commodities, such as maize and beans, is expected
in six refugee camps by the end of March, unless fresh cash pledges are
made within the next ten days.

b)  Intensified fighting in Angola and DRC has led to an increased flow of
people seeking refuge across their respective borders and into western and
northern Zambia. Roughly 260,000 refugees are currently residing within
Zambia's borders, and of those, more than 80,000 have no access to land or
markets and depend on WFP's food for survival.

c)  The 40,000 recently arrived refugees are being fed through the EMOP.
Another 42,000 who arrived as early as October 1999 are receiving
assistance through the protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO).
Both operations are currently 20 percent under-funded. Due to successive
influxes, WFP has been forced to stretch its food resources to cover a
greater refugee caseload than was originally foreseen.

d)  Recent armed offensives by rebels and their supporters in DRC's
Katanga province, and their capture of Pweto, Moba and Malilo, resulted in
some 15,000 people entering Zambia's Luapula and Northern provinces in
November and December alone. Although refugee arrivals culminated late
last year, any escalation of hostilities in Angola and DRC could spark an
immediate surge of thousands more people into Zambia.

e)  Refugees who flee to Zambia are generally in weak and exhausted
conditions. A combination of malaria, which is widespread in the camps,
and low food intake can lead to severe malnutrition. While supplementary
feeding programs have helped to reduce malnutrition amongst the refugees
in camps such as Kala, health conditions could deteriorate if more food
does not arrive in due time to sustain these programs.

f)  Additional challenges currently being faced in assisting the refugees
are the abnormally heavy rains in the region that have left thousands
homeless in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia, and which make transport of
food difficult. Western province's Mayukwayukwa and Nangweshi camps, which
host more than 26,000 Angolan refugees, are at risk of being inaccessible
as road conditions continue to deteriorate. It is therefore urgent that
food be moved to the region in case the situation takes a turn for the
worse.


(2) Mozambique

a)  In the face of the current wave of floods, WFP has sufficient food
available to assist the affected people. Nevertheless, more food or cash
may be required if flooding continues to increase. WFP is currently using
the 4,500 tons of food stocks, strategically placed around the country, as
to feed the 20,000 people in flood-hit central parts. In a worst case
scenario, this food is enough to feed 250,000 people for a month.

b)  Continuing heavy rains over Mozambique are filling up dams and major
river valleys in the center of the country. Latest reports from the field
indicate that the Pungue river, which crosses Manica and Sofala provinces
from Zimbabwe has burst its banks, severing road access from the port city
of Beira, the capital of Manica province. WFP will be assessing the extent
of the damage as quickly as possible, though problems with road access
have made assessments very difficult of late.

c)  With the assistance of the Government of Mozambique and NGO partners,
WFP has been able to respond rapidly through delivering food by plane,
helicopter, boat and truck to those already rendered homeless and isolated
by flooding in the Zambezi valley and the Buzi river valley further south.

d)  Contingency plans crafted over the last six to eight months by the
National Institute for Disaster Management, WFP and other UN agencies have
helped with the timely evacuation of the population from affected areas as
well as the rapid deployment of equipment and personnel.

e)  WFP's food assistance to the country's latest flood victims comes on
top of food aid still being given to some 100,000 people who have not yet
recovered from last year's floods. By receiving WFP food-for-work rations,
communities have been rebuilding vital infrastructure, like roads, dikes
and irrigation canals to help mitigate the effects of future disasters.

f)  In Gaza, the province worst affected by last year's floods, the lack
of rainfall in the last three months has implied a dramatic decline in
crop prospects and the increased threat of drought. Provincial authorities
estimate that tens of thousands of people will be at risk from drought,
should the current dry spell continue. WFP is monitoring the situation in
the province closely.


(3) Angola

a)  WFP is set to launch a new 15-month PRRO for Angola that will benefit
some one million people monthly, starting from 1 April. The total
operational cost will amount to USD 168 million, covering the cost of
commodities, transportation and distribution of some 229,000 tons of food.
The Government of Angolan is expected to contribute an additional USD 39.5
million to the humanitarian effort.

b)  Approximately 40 percent of the project's resources will be allocated
to emergency response through free distributions, mainly to newly arrived
IDPs and returnees. A further 30 percent will be allocated to both
emergency and recovery via safety nets designed to help the malnourished.
The remaining 30 percent will support recovery and rehabilitation for food
insecure families through food-for-work projects.

c)  The operation represents a change in focus for WFP operations in
Angola from strictly emergency assistance to encouraging greater
self-reliance among communities, currently dependent on large-scale food
aid for survival. However, the recovery operation will only be possible in
places where the security situation has improved and where targeted
beneficiaries have been provided with sufficient arable land and
agricultural supports, such as tools and seeds. Hence, WFP will continue
to provide free food distribution to the most vulnerable people, such as
newly arrived IDPs.

d)  WFP hopes donors will respond positively to its latest appeal for
Angola, after a year in which total resources fell short of expectations,
seriously undermining the food pipeline and forcing cut back of food
distribution in many areas. However, currently available resources are
expected to cover on-going programs until April.

e)  During the past two weeks, arrivals of new IDPs, due to insecurity,
were reported in Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Kunado Kubango, Malange and Moxico,
with a particularly high number of new arrivals in Bie (6,828).

f)  A mission made up of NRC, MINARS and WFP visited various provinces in
Cunene during the reporting period. In Kuvelai, Kwanhama and Namcunde they
registered 1,476 IDPs, as well as took the opportunity to inform local
authorities that the new strategy of the PRRO will no longer support
social assistance cases as of April 2001.

g)  In Kuanza Norte, IDPs from Lacala, staying in Caju-Samba are beginning
to return to their area of origin as life has become increasingly
difficult, as rain refuse to fall. CARITAS has asked WFP for support with
two new community kitchens, which would serve 1,800 children at risk of
malnutrition. The kitchens are scheduled to open in March.

h)  In Uige, the NGO IBIS has rehabilitated some 12 kilometers of road
during the reporting period, through a project provided with WFP
food-for-work. The principle objective of this project is to allow for
rapid transport of goods and services from the villages to principal
markets.

i)  VAM continues to assist the provincial Vulnerability Assessment (VA)
groups in regards to clarifying what specific actions need to be taken in
preparation for the commencement of the new PRRO and the implementation of
WFP's new strategy. Base Managers have been asked to re-define their
caseloads in terms of the new categories, as defined in the new PRRO, and
based on those re-definitions consider a distribution plan for the post
harvest period.


(4) Namibia

a)  An extension of the current EMOP, assisting Angolan refugees in
Namibia, was approved this week.

b)  The official camp population at Osire was just under 19,000, as of 19
February. WFP distributed food to some 14,290 beneficiaries during the
reporting period. The distribution is reported as having been very orderly
thanks to the efforts of the Red Cross and the Osire camp's Refugee
Committee. Rations, however, were reduced due to funding uncertainties
with the transition of the EMOP and pipeline complications with maize
meal.



(C) West and Central Asia

(1) Afghanistan

a)  WFP's primary objective at this time is to prevent further migration.
Therefore, WFP is currently sending, or is soon to send, food to the
places from where migrants originate in order to stabilise the situation.
However, more than the mere provision of food is required these people
lack the most basic commodities, such as seeds and farming tools.

b)  In the northern region of Mazar WFP is distributing family food
rations and providing aid through food-for-work and FOODAC projects. WFP
is also providing the basic food requirements for 110,000 people through
the sale of subsidised bread, supported by the Bakery Programme.

c)  In the western part of the country, around the city of Herat, 80,000
IDPs are sheltering in 6 overcrowded camps, with more people arriving
daily. A recent cold snap in the area killed at least 180 persons,
predominantly women, children and the sick. WFP is providing relief
distributions of wheat to the camp population and serves a CSB porridge
each day to all the women and children.

d)  Around Qandahar, in the south, 42,000 IDPs are dispersed in 206
locations within the Helmand and Qandahar Provinces. WFP is supplying
wheat and is currently also looking into the prospect of providing other
supplementary commodities. In Faizabad, in the North Eastern Region,
44,000 IDPs are receiving a WFP family ration of 50 kg/month.


(2) Tajikistan

a)  In February WFP has begun the distribution of a two-month supply of
food to 10,000 beneficiaries in Dangara, one of the districts most
severely affected by drought in the Khatlon region. The food has been made
available after the reception of the first consignment since the EMOP
began last October.

b)  On 21 February WFP signed an agreement with Mission East and made it
an implementing partner for food distribution. Under the agreement, some
2,225 tons of WFP food commodities are planned to be distributed to 83,340
drought affected people in four districts of the Kulyab region.

c)  WFP Country Director went on a two-day assessment mission to Gharm
region, where several meetings with local government officials and WFP
field staff were held. Among other things, the pilot phase of a school
feeding programme in the region was extensively discussed. The programme
should begin soon and will be jointly carried out with local authorities.
Its aim is to dramatically increase the attendance of girl students and
teachers in 108 schools.


(3) Pakistan

a)  The Government of Pakistan (GoP) continues to prevent the verification
of approximately 70,000 Afghans at the Jalozai transit center, many of
them being recent arrivals. The refugees are reportedly living under
severe hardships despite the WFP assistance.

b)  In January, WFP provided food for 65,402 people, while the planned
figure amounted only to 60,000. If the GoP allows the registration of the
people in Jalozai to continue, the number of beneficiaries could reach
160,000. WFP is subsequently considering a revision of the EMOP, both in
terms of the number of beneficiaries and of its duration.

c)  The unseasonal dry conditions that persist in much of Balochistan,
Cholistan and Thar raises concerns for a third year of drought with
potentially serious repercussions.


(4) Iran

a)  The Government has informed WFP, UNHCR and NGOs regarding its concerns
of the increasing tensions between refugees and local population. In Yazd,
which has a local population of 750,000 and hosts 150,000 refugees, locals
have demanded the expulsion of refugees.

b)  A joint UNHCR / BAFIA mission has already visited Yazd and a follow up
mission, with WFP participation, is scheduled for early March. The purpose
of the mission is to evaluate the location that the Government has
identified for the refugees' "settlement", and to find a diplomatic
solution to the problem.



(D) Palestinian Territory

a)  The loss of employment in Israel, resulting from the mobility
restrictions and border closures, has increased the unemployment rate
three-fold. Since the beginning of the crisis, there has been a 50 percent
increase in the number of people living below the poverty line and the
poverty rate has increased to 32 percent. WFP continues its relief food
operations, targeting the non-refugee population.

b)  Through the EMOP, WFP is assisting 51,500 poor and vulnerable
households (around 257,000 beneficiaries) among the non-refugee population
in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. However, with the emergency food
distributions only 50 percent covered, donors are urged to meet the
shortfall of around 5,000 tons. As the outlook for improvement appears
bleak, emergency food assistance will need to continue beyond the current
operation, which can address the needs until May, if fully-funded.

c)  The EMOP assists beneficiaries additional to those reached through the
ongoing PRRO, assisting 104,000 people who are long-term hardship cases
among the non-refugee population in the Palestinian Territory. Of the
annual requirement of 14,400 tons of commodities for the PRRO, the only
one-third of the food needs have been resourced so far.



(E) East Timor

a)  The overall security situation remains stable, as of 22 February.
Nevertheless, the social climate is still tense with urban crime and
assault being a major concern, particularly in the capital Dili.

b)  Road conditions are continuously deteriorating due to heavy rains,
although most locations are still accessible by truck. Floods have
reportedly caused severe damage in the districts of Ainaro, Bobonaro and
Covalima, with two villages in Ainaro being completely washed away by
storms last week. WFP has assisted some 1,000 of these dislocated people
with 6.5 tons, during the reporting period.

c)  In the districts of Dili, Ermera, Liquica and Manatuto, eight schools
are already consolidated into the newly launched school feeding programme.
Students in each of these schools are currently receiving daily snacks
consisting of CSB and vegetable oil. The school feeding assessment
exercise continues in Bobonaro, Oecussi, Manatuto, Aileu, Ermera,
Manufahi, Ainaro and Covalima and school feeding is planned to phase in
automatically as suitable schools are identified.

d)  Since October 1999 a total number of 175,758 people have returned to
East Timor. In February, 709 refugees returned from West Timor so far.
Larger numbers of refugees are expected to arrive within the next few
weeks, as refugees are being encouraged to come back to East Timor to
participate in the registration process for the forthcoming elections.



(F) Great Lakes

(1) Burundi

a)  The nutritional situation in many part of Burundi has significantly
worsened in recent months, particularly in the northern provinces. The
cumulative effects of a string of droughts have devastated the provinces
of Karuzi, Muyinga, Kirundo, Kayanza and Ngozi, where widespread hunger
and malnutrition is currently affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
Conditions worsened this year when a malaria epidemic struck the country
in the fall, on top of an unexpected poor harvest in November, due to
heavy rains.

b)  In addition to the 18.000 people receiving regular food assistance
through supplementary feeding centers in the Karuzi province, a 15-day
family ration was distributed in the second half of January, covering
90.000 people in total. WFP is also providing food to the MSF-run
therapeutic feeding centers in Karuzi, which are currently treating some
1,700 children. Some 84,000 people were last month assisted through
therapeutic, supplementary and hospital feeding programs countrywide, run
by WFP partners.

c)  Malaria continues to plague the country, especially the provinces were
people are already weakened by a low food intake. Some 75 percent of new
admissions to health centers in Karuzi have tested positive for malaria.
High rates of HIV/AIDS and a lack of adequate healthcare treatment have,
moreover, contributed to the high numbers of people reported at the
centers.

d)  Last year, while Karuzi was not deemed the worst drought-affected
province, it attracting people from worse off provinces, such as Ngozi,
from where an estimated 25 per cent of the new arrivals in Karuzi
originate, and where no NGOs are yet operating.

e)  In addition to those suffering from the drought, WFP feeds hundreds of
thousands of IDPs and former IDPs who have been cut off from their farming
land due to civil conflict.

f)  More aid is urgently needed from the donor community in the face of
the growing crisis. WFP is increasingly concerned about an imminent
shortage in March of corn soya blend (CSB) and vegetable oil, which
constitute the essential food commodities used in the feeding centers.

g)  WFP still requires USD 98 million against its requested USD 274
million for its Great Lakes' regional operation, covering 1.2 million
people in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania until July 2001. Chronic
under-funding for the region has made it more difficult for WFP to rapidly
respond to new and continuing needs, such as those in Burundi.


(2) Democratic Republic of Congo

a)  Food insufficiency remained a major hindering factor to programme
implementation in January. Amongst the IDPs, a total of 894 tons was
distributed to 84,763 beneficiaries, mainly through nutritional centers.
However, many health zones remained inaccessible due to security reasons
making it difficult for WFP to set up nutrition programmes or carry out
nutritional surveys and needs assessment.

b)  No general distribution was carried out in Katanga and Bandundu due to
logistical and financial constraints. Therefore, out of a total caseload
of 65,000 refugees, only 23,164 were assisted in January. Salt, which is
one of the essential commodities for the nutritional programme, was
lacking throughout last year and is still absent from the current stock.
An increasing number of refugees were reported to have left the camps in
Katanga in search of coping mechanisms in their country of origin.

c)  In North Kivu, a caseload of at least 71,500 people is reported to be
in need of WFP food assistance. Most of them are returnees or IDPs who
fled their villages for fear of Interahamwe or Maļ Maļ attacks. In the
Grand North, the clashes in Bunia between Lendu and Hemas, which
reportedly have killed more than 400 people, prevented NGOs from accessing
people in need. WFP is planning to assist some 36,500 of them.

d)  Military operations by DRC troops battling rebels of Congo Liberation
Movement (MLC) have for several months disrupted the navigation on two
shared river between DRC and Republic of Congo (RoC). Due to these
attacks, humanitarian organisations have stopped distributing relief aid
to some 120,000 DRC nationals who have fled the Equateur province.
According to the UNHCR about 50,000 of them are still virtually out of
reach.

e)  The volatile situation may also adversely affect relief operations for
98,000 DRC refugees in the neighbouring RoC, where access has been limited
by recent clashes between rebels and pro- government forces over the DRC
towns of Boyele and Imese.

f)  In Katanga, massive displacement due to clashes between rebels and
FACs for the control of Pweto, resulted in the displacement of more than
27,000 persons on the Kilwa-Pweto axis. According to MSF-Belgium, the
health conditions are very precarious in towns located on that axis due to
earlier looting of health centres. The mortality rate, particularly
amongst infants, has reportedly increased among both the local population
and IDPs. Around Malemba-Nkulu, the looting of harvests and seeds by FACs
and Maļ Maļ is raising concerns of potential famine in the area.

g)  In January, prices of basic commodities rose tremendously. All
sub-offices reported that the rate of malnutrition decreased when there
was food assistance but once the assistance was suspended many children
fell below the acceptable nutrition threshold. Thus, dependency on WFP
assistance is still high.

h)  The UN Security Council on 22 February called on the international
community to increase its support to humanitarian assistance in all areas
affected by the conflict and called on the involved parties to ensure safe
and unhindered access by relief personnel to all those in need.



(G) Great Horn of Africa

(1) Kenya

a)  Pledges to the EMOP assisting drought-affected people have covered
around 60 percent of commodities required until the end of June this year.
For the January distribution, a full consignment of maize and oil was
distributed, but no pulses, due to food pipeline delays. For the planned
February distribution, a full consignment of maize is available, and
pulses will be distributed in the ten districts where supplementary
feeding is operating.

b)  Dispatch of Emergency School Feeding Programme (EFSP) food to targeted
schools in twelve districts throughout the country is ongoing. In Mwingi
District, the process is complete. It is anticipated that all the schools
will have received their full allocations for the first school term by 23
February. Monitoring of the project will continue to be carried out
jointly by the Government and WFP, to ensure proper utilisation of the
food at school level.

c)  A FEWS vulnerability update on 12 February, stated that the country's
food security outlook remains mixed. The improved food security in the
arable lands is primarily a result of extended rains in January.
Nevertheless, the quality of the upcoming March-June long rains is
critical for the mid-term food security outlook.

d)  In contrast, poor weather conditions have persisted in pastoral
districts of northern and eastern Kenya, with localized exceptions. Little
rainfall was reported in pastoral districts during January, consistent
with the normal seasonal patterns. Subsequently, pastoralists' food
security trend continues to be downward and is accentuated by an erosion
of coping mechanisms, resulting from the fourth consecutive drought and
increased conflict, leading to the reduced access to traditional dry
season grazing areas and markets.


(2) Eritrea

a)  WFP distributed 1,425 tons to 47,528 war and drought-affected persons
in Debub, Gash Barka, Northern Red Sea and Anseba regions, during the last
two weeks.

b)  The EMOP assisting drought victims is still very low on cereals. The
1,900 tons of wheat, received during the reporting period, will only be
sufficient to cover 2/3 of the March distribution. Hence, a careful
selection of sites will be required in order to make the best use of the
resources.

c)  Following the agreement in Nairobi between Eritrea and Ethiopia on the
establishment of a Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), both Ethiopian and
Eritrea have started to withdraw their respective troops from the area. A
25-km buffer zone to separate the two armies is to be in place by 3 March.
UNMEE (the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea) will be fully deployed as
the armies pull apart, which will facilitate the recovery process and
return of the IDPs to their native villages.

d)  Until UNMEE verifies the completion of the disengagement, only
essential humanitarian activities will be possible to undertake in the
TSZ. There is to be co-ordination meetings to discuss how activities are
to be carried out. WFP will participate in the needs assessment in order
to plan for the return of IDPs and to address the needs of the population
who remained in place.


(3) Ethiopia

a)  WFP continues to monitor the food security situation through early
warning indicators including field monitor reports, complementary NGO and
Government reports and satellite imagery of rainfall. The situation
appears stable in the northern highlands, particularly in belg producing
areas, where rainfall has started in February. However, as the long dry
season progresses in south eastern pastoral areas, specifically Somali
Region, there are indications that the situation in some areas is
deteriorating.

b)  Problem areas include East and West Imi and Denan, areas that
deteriorated similarly last year, and Boh and Geladin in eastern Warder
zone. The latter is an area where no NGO is working and thus there is a
lack of regular and reliable information. WFP has ensured distribution of
diversified food items, particularly pulses, in areas where the problem is
acute due to lack of diversified food items and scarcity of water.

c)  A rapid response reserve has been initiated by WFP with blended food,
pulses and oil, for rapid deployment in the event of an area requiring
immediate attention. The Government has decided to set up a committee with
WFP's participation to determine criteria for the reserves, as well as to
discuss distribution and transport modalities. The criteria are yet to be
finalized.

d)  With the continued support to IDPs moving towards their areas of
origin, WFP has set up a new IDP distribution site in the Tigray region,
bringing the total the number of sites to 17. Plans are being made to
incorporate over 17,500 Ethiopian returnees from Eritrea into the next
distribution. Most of these returnees are in the central and eastern
zones.

e)  Since the operation began in December last year, the number of
Ethiopian refugees returned from Sudan is 7,963 in Gonder and 717 in Inda
Selassie, as of 10 February. WFP has provided food package consisting of
150-kg cereals, 10-kg pulses, and 5 litre edible oil per returnee upon
their arrival at Gonder and Inda Selassie.

f)  WFP has not received any pledges for the EMOP assisting victims of
natural disaster during February. A break in the cereal and blended food
pipeline is expected in April and May respectively thus there is an urgent
need for new confirmed pledges.



(H) Sierra Leone

a)  During the last week, WFP distributed a total of 1,108 tons of
assorted food commodities to 86,706 beneficiaries throughout the country.
WFP distributed 34 tons of food to 5,000 school children in Port Loko, and
43 tons of food to 7,000 school children in the Western area during the
reporting period.

b)  WFP conducted a rapid need assessment in Lungi to verify and determine
the needs of approximately 11,000 IDPs who escaped their home areas of
Kambia. It was found that the IDPs fled from their homes as a result of
increased bombardment in the area.

c)  WFP is currently verifying the arrival of 700 new returning refugees
in Lumpe camp. The refugees will receive a one-month VGF ration after the
verification is completed.

Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons

(End WFP Emergency Report No 08)

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