The U.N. Children's Fund said Monday it is initially seeking $81 million to support urgent humanitarian aid for the estimated 1.5 million children affected by the catastrophic earthquake and tsunamis that hit southern Asia on Dec. 26, many of whom have been orphaned or separated from their families.

The appeal, part of a larger U.N. appeal to be issued this week, will address immediate and emerging needs, and will include emergency immunization to prevent fatal childhood diseases, supply of clean, safe water and provision of basic sanitation, and special feeding for malnourished children and pregnant women.

The initial appeal also covers care for traumatized children, protection for orphans and separated children, provision of education kits, and rehabilitation of schools to ensure return of children to school as soon as possible.

''The overriding health needs for the tsunami-affected region will be directed at the prevention and treatment of malaria, water-borne diseases (cholera, dysentery, diarrhea), measles, tetanus, and acute respiratory diseases in the estimated 1.5 million affected children in the sub-region,'' UNICEF said in a statement.

''UNICEF will provide basic drugs and supplies to cover over 3 million people, including the 1.5 million children in the region,'' it said.

UNICEF estimates that children account for more than one-third of over 150,000 quake and tsunami deaths.

Source: Agencies