UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General expressed deep distress at the news of hundreds of lives lost and many more affected by heavy flooding in Burundi, Kenya, Somalia and in Tanzania, as well as other parts of East Africa, during a briefing held on Thursday.
“The United Nations and its partners are working closely with national authorities to respond to humanitarian needs,” said Mr. Dujarric.
He added that the United Nations stood ready to offer any additional assistance that may be necessary during this difficult period.
“The Secretary-General is extremely concerned about the consequences of extreme weather events triggered by El Niño, which risk further devastating communities and compromising livelihoods,” said Mr. Dujarric.
Floods in East Africa have also killed more than 150 people in neighboring Tanzania and Somalia and affected hundreds of thousands in Ethiopia and Burundi.
