UN launches appeal for Burkina flood homeless
AFP
DAKAR- The United Nations on Sunday launched an appeal for 14.2 million dollars (9.72 million euros) to help thousands of people affected by devastating floods in Burkina Faso over the next six months.
The heaviest rainfall for decades hit Burkina Faso on September 1, affecting mainly Ouagadougou, killing at least eight people, destroying more than 25,000 homes and leaving more than 150,000 people homeless.
Around 130,000 of those left homeless by the flooding -- the vast majority in the capital -- have been re-housed mainly in churches, schools and colleges.
The flood was triggered by some 30 centimetres (one foot) of rain falling in the space of 10 hours, the heaviest rainfall in the west African country since 1919.
Heavy rainfall around west Africa since June has killed around 160 people, destroyed infrastructure and affected 600,000 people in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
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