Millions affected by flooding in Colombia, UN humanitarian arm says

English.news.cn 2011-05-04

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations humanitarian arm said that some 3 million people have been affected by flooding in Colombia, with more than 400 dead after the rainy season started in the South American country, a UN spokesman said here Tuesday.

"With the onset of this year's rainy season in Colombia, some 3 million people have been affected by flooding, with more than 400 dead and nearly 500 others missing, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here at a daily news briefing.

"Governors of some affected departments have reported that this year's new flooding in some areas is already worse than that of last year, when more than 2 million people were affected," the spokesman said.

"OCHA says that the flooding extends into many areas affected by the long-standing armed conflict and by activities of new illegal armed groups," he said.

"Between January and March 2011, the World Food Program (WFP) carried out an assessment, which found that the food security and nutrition situation in the areas affected by the floods has deteriorated overall," he added.

Editor: yan

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