Save the Children will be flying desperately needed relief items into Somalia to help vulnerable children that have been affected by severe flooding.

Three planes carrying a total of 42 metric tonnes of relief items will be flown to Belet Weyne in Somalia in the next two days. One plane will leave Nairobi airport and Dubai airport tomorrow morning and a further plane will leave Nairobi on Saturday. The cargo will include 10,000 blankets, 10,000 mosquito nets, 5,000 plastic sheets and 3,000 water containers.

More than 80,000 Somali people in the region surrounding the Shabelle River, which has reached dangerous levels of 8.3 metres, have been affected by severe flooding. Save the Children is aiming to reach 6,000 families.

Gareth Owen, Save the Children's Deputy Director of emergencies, said: "Our immediate priority is to provide shelter and access to clean water for these vulnerable children. We are flying these supplies into the country as it is the quickest way to reach the people who need us most."

Save the Children staff in Belet Weyne, one of the worst affected areas, have already started distributing relief items supplied by Unicef, including plastic sheets, mosquito nets and blankets. Staff have also been working to repair the airstrip in the town after it was damaged by flood waters. Access to the town is very difficult as many of the main roads into the town were swept away.

Gareth Owen said: "Reports are indicating that this is the worst flood in the region for 50 years. Up to half a million children could be affected and they urgently need our help."

Notes for editors:

Save the Children spokespeople are available for interview both in London and Nairobi. Please call the Save the Children media unit on 020 7012 6844 for more details. 

If you would like to donate money to help the children affected by flooding in Somalia please visit www.savethechildren.org.uk

Save the Children has been working in Somalia since the 1950's. With bases in Hargeisa, Garoowe, and Belet Weyne, we have programmes in food security, health, water and sanitation, and education.

For more information please contact:

Save the Children press office: +44 (0)207 012 6841
Email address: media@savethechildren.org.uk

Registered Office:
Save the Children UK, 1 St. John's Lane, London, EC1M 4AR.
A company registered in London no. 178159 and limited by guarantee
Registered charity no. 213890,VAT registered no. 239 5393 33.
Patron: Her Majesty the Queen,

President: Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal,
Chief Executive: Jasmine Whitbread
Save the Children is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance.  

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