SARANDA GANDA, Niger (CNN) -- Niger is suffering its worst floods in years. Weeks of heavy rain have affected about 400,000 people and killed more than fifty.
In Sarando Ganda, a village on the Niger River on the outskirts of Niamey, many of the mud-brick houses have collapsed or are severely damaged. Seventy per cent of families are homeless.
In these devastating conditions, children are susceptible to diarrhea and malaria. In one week, the village had 53 cases of malaria and patients had to be evacuated to clinics in nearby villages.
UNICEF is providing immediate emergency assistance for flood victims. But the longterm consequences will also be severe, vital crops have been lost.
These devastating floods are just the latest in a series of disasters to hit Niger. Flood areas have also seen an influx of refugees fleeing conflict in neighbouring Mali.
UNICEF is working with its partners to identify and prioritize needs, and it's calling on the international community to mobilize more resources to help families in Niger get back on their feet.