New food `surge` for Haiti: WFP

The World Food Program is to launch a food "surge" in Haiti from Saturday to boost rations for nearly two million people in the quake-torn country, a spokeswoman said.

Port-au-Prince: The World Food Program is to launch a food "surge" in Haiti from Saturday to boost rations for nearly two million people in the quake-torn country, a spokeswoman said.
WFP staff in the capital Port-au-Prince were handing out coupons on Friday that will be exchanged for the food "baskets" comprising rice, beans, fortified flour, oil and salt to be distributed to the end of the month, Silke Buhr said.

The parcels are designed to feed a family of five for a month, she said.

A total of 1.9 million people will receive the rations -- more than covering the 1.3 million people left homeless by the January 12 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people.

The new distribution expands on an initial emergency food surge for three million people following the disaster that mostly consisted of rice hand-outs.

The WFP said it has also started a program to feed school-age children in Port-au-Prince.

The initiative began last week in and will initially distribute meals of rice and beans, and fortified porridge to 72,000 children from school yards across the capital. Eventually it aims to feed 800,000 children.

PTI

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