The British Red Cross is helping people
affected by flooding in north-eastern Namibia.
Heavy rains throughout March have resulted
in the worst flooding in almost half a century in Namibia's remote Caprivi
Strip, forcing thousands of people from their homes.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched an appeal for £345,000 to bring urgently needed relief assistance to those affected and to protect them from malaria and water-borne diseases.
The British Red Cross is supporting the Federation's appeal with funds from its Disaster Fund and Jersey Overseas Aid, helping 50,000 people for five months. Nicola Stevenson, British Red Cross' assistant desk officer for Southern Africa, said: "This year, the rains came a lot earlier which means that the situation might deteriorate further before it gets better."
The funds will pay for tents, tarpaulins and blankets as well as mosquito nets, purification tablets and jerry cans - items that will help improve the water and sanitation situation.
Nicola continued: "The HIV prevalence rate is high in the region, at about 43 per cent. There is a significant fear that contamination of water sources will provoke an outbreak of water-borne disease and malaria, deepening the vulnerability of people living with HIV/AIDS in the area."
While the Caprivi Strip has been the hardest hit, other regions in Southern Africa have also been affected by the swollen Zambezi. Localised floods have already been reported in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.