UN seeking aid for thousands of African tsunami victims

Help is on the way for  thousands of Africans wiped out last Sunday by a massive tsunami in the Indian Ocean, but the condition of roads in a region already devastated by drought, famine and war is slowing the pace of deliveries, according to officials with relief  agencies. It wasn't until Dec. 31, five days after the disaster, that Somalia, the hardest-hit African country, was declared a disaster area. William M. Bellamy, the U.S. Ambassador  to Kenya, made that declaration in the country where at least 142 people have  been confirmed dead, at least 100 more are missing and as many as 50,000 are  without food, water and shelter as a result of the massive tidal wave, according  to the United Nations World Food Programme reports. "We've been told that the island of Hafun in Somalia was completely wiped out," Margaret Carrington, a WFP press officer told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "At least 100 are dead there and 4,500 are displaced. They have nothing." Early last week, two trucks carrying 31 metric tons of food attempted to travel to the remote island but were stuck outside of Hafun because some of the roads are washed out, Carrington said. WFP staff and local officials are using 4-by-4 trucks to transport the food to the affected areas. Assessments of damage in Somalia still are underway, she said. [more]