Flooding in Burkina Faso

Sorry for the lack of post this week, before the an American holiday is usually busy for us, and we've had a schedule change to adjust to.

From Reuters Alert Net, Plan UK details the humanitarian need in Burkina Faso due to the recent flooding.

At least five people have died and thousands been left homeless after severe floods in Burkina Faso yesterday. Over 10 Inches of rainfall was reported on the capital city of Ouagadougou, the most in any 12-hour period since 1953.

Plan is coordinating relief efforts with the government and other agencies, and is appealing for urgent funding support.

It is currently estimated that about 700,000 are affected by the floods, and in the capital city of Ouagadougou 109,000 people have lost their homes and belongings. These people are being hosted in 30 sites around the city while many more are unaccounted for.

In rural areas there have been reports of dozens of collapsed houses and farms with growing crops flooded. Schools, mosques and churches are being used as temporary shelters

Stefanie Conrad, who works for Plan in Burkina Faso has experienced the floods first hand:

"Streets have turned into rivers and where water has started to recede, there is mud and dirt. Some areas of the city have become inaccessible as bridges have collapsed," she said.