The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on Thursday launched an emergency relief effort to deliver food and supplies to thousands of people driven from their homes by floods in central Sudan.
"WFP has joined forces with other UN agencies and the Sudanese government to get emergency supplies, including food and non-food items, moving quickly to the flood victims," WFP Sudan Representative Kenro Oshidari announced in a statement.
As an immediate first step, the agency plans to distribute food to 20,000 people in five locations near the city of Kassala, close to the Eritrean border, where the Gash River has burst its banks.
In the coming days, WFP will join other UN agencies in assessment missions to determine the full extent of the damage and the level of assistance that may be required.
15,000 homes have been destroyed and 20 people killed by the flood across the country, according to initial reports.
WFP has 3,000 metric tons of food stockpiled in Kassala, enough to feed the flood victims for three weeks.
Rations are currently being handed out along a tarmac road on higher ground where people displaced by the flood waters have taken refuge.
The area around the town of Aroma is particularly hard, with surrounding villages completely submerged.
Flood has also struck central Sudanese cities of Kosti, El Obeid and Damazine, as well as Tokar on the Red Sea coast.
Source: Xinhua
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