The World Food Programme (WFP) of the UN said it began distributing food vouchers to about 2,000 pregnant women in Colombo’s “underserved” areas as part of “life-saving assistance”.

Anthea Webb, WFP deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific, said poor people in the nation of 22 million were finding it harder to afford basics like food.

The world body is trying to raise US$60 million for the food relief effort between June and December.

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