IOM Djibouti is providing emergency material assistance to a group
of 700 irregular migrants intercepted in Obok yesterday.

The group of Ethiopian migrants is stranded in Obok and is in
need of immediate medical assistance following reports of over 170
individuals with severe diarrhea. One death has been confirmed thus
far. Sixty of the migrants are currently receiving emergency care
in Obok while 119 have been moved to the City of Djibouti by boat
for additional care.

IOM is working closely with the Ministry of Interior and the
local authorities of Obok to help manage the situation and has
donated cartons of antiseptic, cartons of latex gloves and bleach,
ventilators, boots, basins, picks, shovels, tents and beds to
accommodate the migrants.

The migrants from Ethiopia were en route to Yemen through Obok.
Many of the individuals have been established to be irregular
migrants.

IOM's donation has been made possible with funding from the
Government of Switzerland within the framework of the project
"Improving the protection of vulnerable migrants travelling through
Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland to Yemen". The project is carried
out within a general regional response to the mixed migration flows
in the horn of Africa.

IOM is monitoring the situation and will adapt appropriate
responses as the situation develops.

For more information contact:

Odile Robert

IOM Kenya

E-mail: "mailto:orobert@iom.int">orobert@iom.int

or

Alem Brook

IOM Djibouti

E-mail:  "mailto:abrook@iom.int">abrook@iom.int