87 dead in West Africa floods

2007-09-04 18:18

Geneva - Severe floods across West Africa have killed at least 87 people, most of them in Nigeria, in the past two months, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Tuesday.

Weather conditions worsened considerably in August, with areas of hard-hit northern Togo difficult to reach because bridges were swept away by heavy rains, the world's largest disaster relief network said.

At least 68 people have died in Nigeria, 17 in Togo and at least 2 in Mauritania, it said in a statement. More than 100 000 people have been affected in 10 countries across the region, home to some of the world's poorest countries.

"Torrential rains have destroyed homes, leaving thousands homeless. They damaged roads and devastated crops in areas where food security has been a problem before so we need to carefully monitor the situation," said Niels Scott, the Federation's operations coordinator for Africa.

The Geneva-based Federation has released 553 750 Swiss francs to help national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies cover immediate needs in West Africa.

- Reuters