Displaced Syrian children in Lebanon get help to survive bitter storm

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday that it is helping the displaced children from Syria to survive freezing winds, heavy rains and snow in Lebanon.

IN a statement, the UNICEF said that its NGO partners have been distributing pre-positioned winter clothes for children.

And blankets, tarpaulins and high energy biscuits have reached 75,000 Syrian, Lebanese and Palestine refugee children in the most affected areas so far.

Emergency mobile health teams, alongside the continuing Mobile Medical Units have treated over 1,600 patients in the informal settlements.

"Our teams and local implementing partners have been working around the clock to address the impact of the storm on the most vulnerable children and families," Annamaria Laurini, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon said.

She added "every single effort needs to be made immediately to avoid unnecessary tragedies that could be prevented."

A polar storm labeled "Zina" hit Lebanon and most of the eastern Mediterranean countries, bringing heavy rains and snow falls, and mostly affecting the Syrian displaced in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

The UNICEF statement said that during this winter it will spend 11.5 million U.S. dollars alone to assist 456,500 vulnerable Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestine refugee children.

It added that due to this week's storm, key roads and highways were blocked with snow, hindering delivery trucks and mobile medical units from reaching badly affected areas.

Deliveries have resumed and more winter supplies will be handed out over the weekend and next week, while mobile medical teams have resumed their activities.

The International aid organization concluded that additional winter kits, blankets, tarpaulins, boxes of high energy biscuits, jerry cans, sanitation kits and women's clothes will be distributed in the coming two days. Endit