More than 600,000 people in 17 countries across Africa have been left homeless and in desperate need of urgent humanitarian assistance by what international aid workers are recognising as 'the worst floods in a decade'.

1.5 million people have been affected and 250 people killed by the floods which have wreaked havoc across Africa, from Morocco and across West and East Africa to Ethiopia. In Uganda, one of the worst affected countries, 50 people have died as a result of the floods and dozens of deaths have also been recorded in neighbouring Rwanda, Kenya and Sudan.

WER is in close contact with our local partner organisation All Nations Christian Care (ANCC) in Lira, northern Uganda, as essential emergency relief aid is provided to the flood victims. Mathew Langol, Director of Programmes for ANCC, has reported that large areas of farmland across northern Uganda have been submerged under the flood waters, with disastrous consequences for the local population.

'This is nothing short of a massive catastrophe for the people of northern Uganda. Crops which were due to be harvested in October have been entirely washed away and we are facing a very real and very dangerous food crisis. With intensely heavy rain continuing to fall, the flood water does not as yet show any signs of dissipating,' reports Langol from Lira.

Thousands of houses which were submerged in the floods have collapsed and wells have been contaminated by dirty water, leaving entire communities with no access to safe water. Contaminated water sources and widespread filthy flood waters have sparked fears of a cholera outbreak in Uganda and across countries affected by the floods.

WER has provided essential humanitarian aid for immediate distribution through ANCC to communities affected by the floods throughout Lira district and neighbouring districts across northern Uganda. The distributed items include clothes, soap and medical supplies. ANCC is also conducting an assessment of water sources which have been damaged or destroyed in the floods and is implementing an emergency programme to restore safe water sources to affected communities.

For more information or to make a life-saving donation to help WER reach out to people in desperate need, please visit www.wer-uk.org or call WER today on 0870 429 2129.