UN assessment mission sent to flood stricken area of Horn of Africa

A United Nation assessment mission has been sent to a flood-stricken area in the East African country of Djibouti, where heavy seasonal rains in recent days are reported to have killed 51 people, left 1,500 homeless and affected over 100,000.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York said today the Ambouli River burst its banks, affecting densely populated neighbourhoods of the capital, Djibouti, cutting electricity supplies and washing away parts of the old railway line to neighbouring Ethiopia.

The road to Ethiopia was temporarily cut after the collapse of a bridge and most shops and primary schools remained closed.

The UN assessment team, which was dispatched yesterday to the affected area, will report back to a technical meeting tomorrow of representatives of UN agencies, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Interior, and the diplomatic community.

OCHA said it was in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator in Djibouti.