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UN Struggles to Provide African Flood Relief in Shadow of War

The United Nations has issued a plea for over $7-million for the immediate relief of flood victims in African states. This comes after the region ? especially Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya ? was hit by the worst recorded flooding in over a decade. Financial problems are not the only issues hampering the United Nations? relief effort. Fears of war breaking out between Somalia and Ethiopia have caused the UN to reconsider their efforts in the disaster-stricken areas.

Almost 1.8-million people have been affected by the floods, with 1-million of them originating in Somalia. 400,000 people have had to flee their homes and the United Nations is struggling to reach many of the areas that have been cut off because of the floods. Rescuers say that in some places, water was over 13 feet deep. The official death toll has been set at 100 people, but authorities fear that the number is much higher. More flooding is also expected in the region.

The United Nations has requested that the countries involved form a corridor of peace to allow rescue workers to reach flood victims. Although the UN has four helicopters at its disposal, the organization is fearful that they will be shot down due to the heightened tensions between Islamic troops in Somalia and Ethiopian government troops, who fear the spread of a Muslim regime in the area. Somalia has suffered a fifteen-year civil war and has a long history of drought.