UNICEF has begun the first phase of humanitarian assistance to children in El Salvador affected by Hurricane Ida, which struck the Central American country on Monday.

“During emergencies such as this one, our top priority is to ensure that every child’s right of access to clean water and proper sanitation and we’re doing this by providing 85,000 litres of bottled water, 3,250 personal hygiene kits for the affected families as well as 140 hygiene kits for the shelters,” said UNICEF UK’s Deputy Executive Director Anita Tiessen.

“Another priority is getting children back into a school environment as quickly as possible in order for them to regain a sense of normalcy, and to this end we have sent out 3,300 recreational kits for children and 140 school-in-a-box kits,” she added.