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UNITED NATIONS, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN and its humanitarian partners are appealing for 20 million U.S. dollars to address the devastating consequences of Cyclone Enawo that struck Madagascar earlier this month as the most powerful in the island African country in 13 years.
At least 250,000 people in the worst-affected areas require urgent life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection, deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq said at a daily news briefing here.
Among them, some 20,000 families who lost their homes need emergency shelter and more than 100,000 children whose schooling has been disrupted need temporary learning spaces, he said.
Up to 85 percent of planted subsistence crops were lost in some areas, while more than 1,300 wells, which are the major source of household water, are flooded and contaminated, Haq noted.
About 760,000 people are likely to be directly affected and nine regions are at high risk of either floods or severe impact of winds.
Tropical cyclone Enawo pushed ashore on March 7 in northeastern Madagascar with winds equal to a Category 4 hurricane, reports said.
