CARE International is rushing relief supplies to an estimated 180,000 people in northern Sudan who have been affected by the worst flooding to hit the country in recent memory.

The relief effort is being coordinated through a partnership, known as the Common Pipeline, a collaborative effort by CARE, UNICEF and the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre. CARE handles warehousing and transport for the pipeline.

A flooded village in Sudan © CAREThe crisis in Sudan has resulted from unusually intense rainfall that has come early this year and by flooding along the Nile River. The Blue Nile, which flows into Sudan from Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which rises from Central Africa, come together near Sudan's capital, Khartoum. Although the rainfall has dropped off slightly in the last few days, more heavy rain is expected before the end of the wet season in mid-September, and there is growing concern that as many as 2.4 million people in 16 Sudanese states could be affected over the next month and a half.

Supplies transported by CARE, so far, include 60,000 blankets, 32,000 sleeping mats, 2,300 cooking sets and 18,000 plastic sheets to protect against the rain. In one camp, near Khartoum, CARE delivered 4,000 non-food relief packages. CARE is also digging 60 kilometres (nearly 40 miles) of ditches in two camps to help drain the water. In addition, CARE is working to restore 800 latrines in Khartoum, and another 1,000 in North Kordofan, where CARE is lead relief coordinator.

"Water and sanitation are the main priorities since contaminated water is a major cause of disease which can lead to the loss of lives," says Liz McLaughlin, CARE International's assistant country director in Sudan.

The situation in Sudan follows unusual floods in recent weeks that have affected Pakistan, India, China and England. Severe flooding can cause enormous damage to housing, infrastructure, livestock and livelihoods. In Sudan, CARE wants to raise at least £1.45 million to cope with the current crisis, and that figure could go higher if the flooding intensifies.