Hurricane aid call for Nicaragua

The United Nations has appealed for almost $40m (£20m) to help Nicaragua recover from Hurricane Felix.

The category five hurricane hit the coast of northern Nicaragua, destroying homes and killing more than 100 people, many of them indigenous fishermen.

Two weeks on and the situation for around 160,000 of those who survived remains dire.

The UN has called on the international community to provide the funds to get emergency aid to the worst affected.

Thousands of homes have been destroyed and many villages remain cut off by mudslides.

The UN's office for humanitarian matters and emergency co-ordination called on donors to be generous.

Meanwhile the country's president, Daniel Ortega, reiterated the government's request for help to international organisations and aid agencies.

The extent of the damage has been terrible, he said, and the government still does not have a full picture of the agricultural losses.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
US National Hurricane Centre
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