28 August 2007 – The United Nations and its partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have launched a flash appeal for more than $20 million so they can help millions of Sudanese recover from what many consider to be the country’s worst floods in living memory.
Dozens of people have died and more than 200,000 others have become homeless since torrential rains starting early last month led to flash floods across large parts of eastern Sudan, damaging infrastructure such as schools and inundating vital cropland.
The Office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan said at least 410,000 people are directly affected by the floods, with over three million others at risk from epidemic outbreaks and polluted water. So far, 57 people are reported to have died from acute watery diarrhea (AWD).
Launching the appeal, Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said “these funds will enable us to save lives, to assist families who lost everything in gradually restoring their livelihoods, to prevent deadly epidemics, and to help children get back to school.”
Earlier this month Mr. Holmes approved a grant of $8.7 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), while almost $5 million more has been allocated from the local Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF).
But UN officials estimate that some $34.7 million is needed to help implement 48 flood-relief projects, run by either UN aid agencies, NGOs or the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
This leaves $20.2 million to be provided by donors under the flash appeal announced 28th August 2007, with most of the funds going to water and sanitation projects, food relief, health care, shelter and infrastructure repair
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