Oxfam sends water kit to Iraq

Oxfam sends water kit to Iraq

Many thousands of people in southern Iraq are without water

Oxfam is flying vital water supply and sanitation equipment out to the Gulf, to try to restore essential services to southern Iraq.

The aid agency is transporting 17 tonnes of equipment from its emergency warehouse in Bicester to London Manston airport, in Kent.

From there it will be taken by a UN aircraft to Kuwait.

Oxfam engineers hope soon to begin helping restore water supplies to southern Iraq, where thousands are still without water.

The equipment includes several 70,000-litre tanks, which can provide 5,000 people with a day's supply of clean water.

They are part of Oxfam's standard water kit, which has been used in conflict zones and disaster-spots across the globe.

An Oxfam spokeswoman said: "Oxfam engineers have been travelling in and out of southern Iraq under tight security to assess the damage to the water and sewerage system and, where possible, carry out emergency repairs.

"As soon as the security situation allows, a larger team of engineers will go into Iraq to restore water supplies and sanitation systems."