Africa in grave humanitarian situation: UN

New York, Sep 19: Torrential rains and floods in African continent have killed at least 270 people and affected one million, the UN report said.

The figures have given rise to a grave humanitarian situation making the population vulnerable to the spread of cholera, dysentery and meningitis, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned in a report.

The flooding which began in mid-June is expected to have another heavy bout of torrential rain in September 18-24, meteorologists said.

Sub-Saharan Africa has been the worst-hit with Sudan having the highest casualties where 64 people drowned in floods and 49 died due to water-borne cholera and in Ghana, where flood waters covered most arable land, killing 32 people, the report said.

Nigeria, Togo, Rwanda, Niger, Somalia, Morocco, Mauritania, Ethiopia, and Uganda have also been hard-hit.

Some African states have declared a state of emergency and called for international assistance. African officials have held deforestation responsible for the level of destruction caused by the floods.

UNI