Africa floods 'worst in 30 years'

Vast swathes of the continent were submerged by the flooding

Nearly 400 people died and two million were affected when Africa was struck by its worst flooding for 30 years in July, the UN says.

The catastrophic rains hit almost half of all African countries, with 113 people dying in Sudan.

Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso were also seriously affected.

"We are now in the after-crisis, with the end of the rains," said UN official Herve Ludovic de Lys.

A CONTINENT'S DEATHTOLL West Africa: 210 Sudan: 113 Rwanda: 17 Ethiopia: 17 Uganda: 18 Chad: 12 Total: 387

The priority now was to evaluate the total amount of land affected by the rains, assess livestock losses and mobilise funds where needed, added the official from the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).

Most UN supplies to the area are currently being delivered from warehouses in Italy.

But a senior UN official said plans are afoot to provide a base in Mali that will serve the whole of West Africa.