UNICEF gets $1.5m for emergency support in Uganda

The UN's Children's agency has received 1.5 million U.S. dollars from the British government for emergency support in Uganda where El Nino rains continue to cause havoc.

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a statement said the support will benefit children and women from the 32 highly affected in the east African country.

The agency said the continuous heavy rains have caused flooding and water logging, exposing children and women to a greater risk of disease outbreaks such as cholera, malaria, diarrhea and typhoid among others.

"This contribution will immediately help to reduce the damaging impact of the heavy rains on children in many parts of the country," said Aida Girma, UNICEF's Representative in Uganda.

Jennie Barugh, Head of British development agency DFID in Uganda said the support will allow families gain vital access to basic health services and clean and safe water.

The Ugandan government last month announced that it was in dire need of 9.4 million dollars to help mitigate the effects of the El Nino rains.

Disaster relief officials warned that the rains have reached destructive levels and their peak is expected this month before subsiding early next year.

Government figures show at least 1,500 people have been displaced, one person killed and hundreds of hectares of gardens flooded.

The last such severe rains in Uganda occurred in 2007, when floods hit the northern and eastern parts of the country, destroying crops and property and washing away bridges. About 300,000 people were affected and over 60,000 people were displaced.

Sources: MENA