Thousands affected by floods

Two people have died and 2,350 others have been affected by floods in Mali that have destroyed 1,817 houses and washed away 870 ha of farmland, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Tuesday. The floods have been caused by heavy rains which began in May. The affected areas are in the capital, Bamako, the northern region of Kidal, Koulikoro and Mopti in the centre and Sikasso in the south, OCHA reported in a situation report. It said there was a high risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, yellow fever and malaria in the affected areas, and the risk could increase as floodwaters receded. So far Mali's government, which has provided 65 mt of cereals, 200 mats and medicine for the affected population, has not appealed for international assistance, the report said. OCHA said it was informed that 2,320 blankets, 774 tents, 2,320 mats and 52 mt of cereals, corresponding to three months worth of supplies, were needed. Long-term needs, it added, included the resettlement of displaced families and sanitary issues. [The full report is available at http://www.reliefweb.int ]