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United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the U.N. children's agency, on Saturday called for international aid to assist violence-plagued Haiti for a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season that could pose threat to the citizens.
The hurricane season that traditionally begins in June and runs through November is forecast to be severe this year.
A gang-fueled crisis has devastated Haiti, and the U.N. estimates 360,000 people in the Caribbean nation are displaced.
UNICEF Representative in Haiti, Bruno Mars said, "With every cyclone, every tornado, every flood, children will lose their homes, their livelihoods, their lives, and the season has barely started.
"Support from the international community is essential for us to enhance our preparedness and response capabilities for the worst-case scenarios," he said.
UNICEF said a late May tornado in northern Haiti, which left some 4,350 people homeless, marked an "omen of a potentially devastating cyclone season."
The agency said "it was preparing for the season by pre-positioning food, medical supplies and other necessities to shorten delivery times in the country. Haiti's supply routes are controlled by armed groups, slowing aid efforts and endangering humanitarian workers."
