By Frank Nyakairu
NAIROBI (AlertNet) - More than 50,000 people have been uprooted by what aid agencies have described as the worst flooding in years in SudanÂ?s Khartoum State, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said
on Friday.
Twenty people were killed and 30 more injured in the flooding, according to Sudanese authorities, when unusual torrential rain in August caused flash floods which swept through thousands of informal settlements in the state that hosts Sudan's capital.
"Entire communities in Khartoum were left without shelter when 20,000 homes from informal settlements were unable to hold out to the force of rushing waters after it rained incessantly
for six hours on the 26th of August," ICRC said in a statement.
IFRC said the flooding also damaged hospitals and schools, roads and bridges, hampering aid delivery.
With more torrential rains expected in the coming months, IFRC warned that problems with displacement and disease were likely to worsen.
With poor drainage systems and submerged pit latrines, IFRC said an outbreak of water borne diseases could have dire consequences.
"The risk of an outbreak of water borne diseases emanating from pools of stagnant water and collapsed latrines is imminent for thousands of people living in the capital if more aid is not
forthcoming," said Dr. Dietrich Ficher, head of IFRC's delegation in Khartoum.
Deadly diseases such as cholera, malaria, and hepatitis A usually afflict displaced populations when there is a breakdown in the entire water treatment system.
IFRC said it needed urgent assistance for its emergency appeal amounting to 1,923,503 Swiss Francs ($1.89 million/ 1.29 million euros).
During the next five months the Red Crescent hopes to distribute additional relief kits to a total of 15,000 people and establish health mobile clinics.
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