Aid mission takes off from Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport

A mission of mercy to save victims of severe flooding in Africa has been launched from Robin Hood Airport.
Aid is being flown out to Ethiopia from Robin Hood Airport, DoncasterAid is being flown out to Ethiopia from Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster
Aid is being flown out to Ethiopia from Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster

Britain is raising its response in Ethiopia by providing life-saving support to thousands of families in urgent need after severe flooding.

Aid supplies were yesterday transported from a disaster response facility in Gloucestershire to Finningley, to help 150,000 families in urgent need after severe flooding.

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Emergency humanitarian supplies – including shelter kits, blankets, kitchen sets, clean water devices and other equipment are being flown out from Doncaster to start the relief operation.

Supplies have started arriving in Ethiopia to help people in immediate need cope with the aftermath of the flooding.

Extensive spring rains have come at a time when Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in 30 years, which has already left 18 million people in urgent need of relief says the Government.

The UK is the second largest humanitarian donor in Ethiopia, having provided £145 million since July 2015.

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The package of £3.5 million in new support is bridging a gap in supplies of shelter kits for those in need of immediate help.

The emergency humanitarian supplies include:

n 60,000 x high thermal synthetic blankets

n 34,000 x shelter kits

n 30,000 x kitchen sets

n 30,000 x sleeping mats

n 30,000 x 14 litre buckets

n 1,500 x cleanliness kits

n 1,980 x water purification devices

A spokesman for the Department for International Development said: “The El Niño effect this year has been the strongest on record, threatening people’s lives, health and livelihoods around the world.”

He added: “The Government of Ethiopia is in the midst of its largest ever response to a drought, but the scale of the crisis means support from across the world is needed.

“Half a million people facing hunger due to the drought are now being forced to deal with the effects of life-threatening flooding, “