Floods rendered 30,000 homeless - government

Torrential rain and floods in late July and early August destroyed 8,917 houses and made 30,000 people homeless in various parts of Mali, that country's Ministry of Security and Civilian Protection has reported in a provisional assessment of the damage. All eight administrative regions suffered losses in terms of property and cattle, but the worst hit were Tombouctou and Gao. In the locality of Goundam, Tombouctou region, two people died, along with some 1,209 head of cattle, and 6,612 sheep and goats, according to the Association of People from Goundam Resident in Bamako. The association, which sent 10 mt of cereals worth two million CFA francs (about US $30,000) to the district, said the entire harvest had been destroyed. "It's really a disaster in Goundam because the population was seriously affected and it will take more than a year to overcome the effects of the disaster," the association's president, Hamadoun Cisse, said. "All crops are under water from Lake Tele to Lake Faguibine", two water bodies near the town. Immediately after the disaster, Minister of Security Souleymane Sidibe took emergency aid in the form of 210 mt of cereals and medicines for people in Goundam and two other localities, Gourma Rharous et Niafunké. President Amadou Toumani Toure later asked Mali's development partners for help, prompting France and Denmark to provide emergency assistance. As a result, some 70 mt of rice, 700 kg of medicines and 20 large tents were sent to Goundam and Rhaouss. The Chinese Red Cross gave its Malian counterpart a cheque of US $10,000 to help flood victims. However, the Ministry of Security estimated that more than 4,000 tents were needed, along with about 26,000 blankets, 600mt of millet and other basic items such as soap, milk, oil, sugar.