Millions of Iraqis at risk from contaminated water, says Red Cross

 

by Angela Balakrishnan

Country continues to face one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters

Heavy rain flooded streets in Baghdad this week due to the inadequate sewage system. Photograph: Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty

Improved security has failed to prevent Iraq becoming the scene of one of the world's most critical humanitarian disasters with water supplies and sewage systems putting millions at risk of disease, the Red Cross said today.

The statement from the International Committee of the Red Cross said the situation has not improved significantly since March this year when the organisation published its report, Iraq: No Let-up in The Humanitarian Crisis.

The report found that the humanitarian situation in Iraq following the US invasion was the worst in the world.

Today's findings state that water supplies in the war-torn country have continued to deteriorate with even the most basic infrastructure not functioning.

More than 40% of people are relying on poor quality and inadequate supplies and millions, especially children, are at serious risk of water-borne disease, the Red Cross said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/29/iraq-middleeast-red-cross