UN says supplies insufficient to prevent humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Although UN humanitarian flights to Yemen resumed on Saturday, supplies are still insufficient to prevent humanitarian catastrophe in the country, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

One humanitarian vessel arrived in Saleef on Monday, carrying 25,00 metric tons of wheat, Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing, adding that two commercial vessels carrying food have arrived in Hodaidah, carrying a total of 35,020 metric tons of wheat and wheat flour.

Three vessels carrying nearly 65,000 metric tons of food have been cleared by the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism and are awaiting permission from the Saudi-led Coalition to enter Hodaidah port, he noted.

"While some food has started to reach Yemen, it is not sufficient to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe," said Dujarric. "In Yemen, the cost of diesel as doubled, while the price of petrol has risen by more than 70 percent and cooking gas by 18 percent."

"It is critical that fuel reaches all Yemeni ports immediately, fuel is essential to operate generators for hospitals and water pumps, as well as to deliver drinking water and food."

Aslo on Tuesday, Bettina Luescher, spokesperson for the World Food Program (WFP), said in Geneva that "The situation in Yemen is currently the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world and aid is urgently required in order to avoid famine."

She said at a press briefing that two daily flights to the Yemeni capital from Jordan's Amman and one from Djibouti will continue until the end of this month.

WFP has more than doubled the number of people it reaches every month from 3.5 million people in January to a current average of 7 million people. Due to the funding shortfall of 362 million U.S. dollars, however, some people are only receiving half rations.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) is largely focusing its efforts on the diphtheria outbreak. There have been 194 clinically suspected cases of diphtheria and 20 deaths in 13 governorates, said WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier.

The lifting of the blockade on the movement of humanitarian goods will enable the shipping of 361 tons of medicines and medical supplies that have been blocked in Djibouti. The supplies to be shipped over the coming days include enough antitoxin to treat 1,000 cases of diphtheria. Enditem