GENEVA, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed on Friday deep concern over the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the continued lack of access to displaced people hampers the provision of urgently needed aid.
During a press briefing in Geneva UNHCR Global spokesperson Eujin Byun stated that heavy artillery shelling and looting have destroyed nearly 70,000 emergency shelters in and around (Goma) and (Minova) in (North and South Kivu) leaving approximately 350000 internally displaced people (IDPs) without shelter.
Byun also warned of the threat posed by unexploded ordnance which endangers around 100,000 people attempting to return to their original areas, saying "Displaced people reported that fear of unexploded ordnance destroyed homes and lack of essential services are significant obstacles to safe return." Byun also raised concerns about the risk of spreading infectious diseases including cholera malaria and measles in (North Kivu) due to the destruction of health facilities including mortuaries and overcrowded hospitals.
The spokesman also stressed that residents of (Bukavu) home to 1.3 million people are on high alert as insecurity worsens prompting many to flee to the south or further afield stating that further influxes into the city are expected in the coming days possibly followed by onward movements as the fighting spreads.
UNHCR called on the international community for urgent support to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian disaster warning that insufficient funding is significantly limiting its ability to provide life-saving assistance.
Additionally, UNHCR called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety of civilians and to uphold international humanitarian principles including the right to move freely in search of safety, urge all parties to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure and guarantee unhindered humanitarian access.
In a separate statement, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that children in eastern DRC face increasing threats including sexual violence abduction and forced recruitment into armed conflicts.
UNCHR highlighted that in (South Kivu) over 50 percent of humanitarian organizations providing critical support to survivors of sexual violence report being unable to reach those in need due to insecurity and continuous displacement. (end) imk.mt