The aim of the new WFP emergency operation is to prevent a serious deterioration in the health of the most vulnerable victims. The agency will give 178,000 people, mostly pregnant women, nursing mothers and children, a supply of biscuits to last two months. After that, they will receive a nutritious blended food called Indiamix for another two months.

Additionally, 120,000 people – families in the earthquake zone with the greatest need for food -- will receive packages of wheat flour and lentils lasting four months.

"Because of this earthquake, the very survival of the vulnerable people of Gujarat is at stake," said Pedro Medrano, WFP Country Director for India. "Even before the disaster, nearly half of the children in this region were underweight and malnutrition is widespread among the mothers.

"These people simply cannot withstand the blow to their health and nutrition they have suffered from this earthquake," Medrano continued. "We are appealing to the donor community to help us avert a major crisis in Gujarat."

WFP’s first step in the relief effort was a $200,000 "immediate response" operation: the deployment of 300 metric tons of high energy biscuits to the earthquake zone for distribution to 100,000 people for 15 days. This initiative began just days after the earthquake struck on Jan. 26 with a level of 6.9 on the Richter scale.

In the new emergency operation, WFP will work with the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) in the establishment of a staff base camp in Bhuj and the management of facilities and high-tech equipment. In partnership with the SRSA, WFP will manage storage points and distribution points for the food deliveries.

For further details contact:

Dr. Minnie Mathew

Senior Advocacy Officer

World Food Programme

New Delhi 110003

Tel: 91-11- 4694381-84, 4692957, 4623024

Fax: 91-11-4627109

Email: minnie.mathew@wfp.org

Heather Hill

WFP Information Officer/Rome

Tel: +39-06-6513-2253

Christiane Berthiaume

WFP Information Officer/Geneva

Tel: +41-22-9178564

Abby Spring

WFP Information Officer/New York

Tel: 212-963-5196

Banca Commerciale

Agenzia WFP

Parco de' Medici 68/70

Rome

Dollar account :490 650 4247

Lira account :490 650 3641

(For both accounts, the ABI number is 02002

and the CAB number is 03395.)

In the United States, mail donations to Friends of WFP, P.O. Box 11856, Washington, D.C. 20008, U.S.A. (Telephone: 202-530-1694) For on line donations, go to www.friendsofwfp.org