NIAMEY, Niger, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Nearly half of the 15 million people in Niger are facing a food crisis as flooding plagues the African country, the United Nations said.
The U.N.'s World Food Program earlier this month said there was an urgent need to help the 4 million people in Niger affected by flooding.
Modibo Traore, the head of the U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Niger, told U.N. Radio the situation was dire while local residents braced for more rain.
"We have still one month ahead for the rainy season and currently the rainfall is continuing almost throughout the country and we may expect much more victims of the flood," he warned.
The director added that at least five people were killed along with 100,000 cattle during the flooding that began in early August.
WFP says national surveys from early 2010 indicate 16.7 percent of the childhood population in Niger suffer from acute malnutrition. Any figure more than 15 percent is considered an emergency situation.
