The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced today, Friday, that about half a million Sudanese have been affected by floods and rains since last June. The UN office stated in a statement that estimates indicate that 491,100 people (88,600 families) have been affected by heavy rains and floods in 63 areas, within 15 states in Sudan since the beginning of the rains last June. He added that this includes an estimated 143,200 displaced persons, noting that 35,518 homes have completely collapsed, and about 44,993 homes have been partially damaged by floods and rains. The Sudanese Ministry of Health stated last week that the death toll from floods and rains in the country had reached 173 people since last June. The natural and health disasters this year coincide with the continued suffering due to the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, which has displaced more than 10.7 million people, according to United Nations reports, while the number of refugees abroad has reached about 2.3 million people, with children making up 50 percent of the internally displaced people. Source: National Iraqi News Agency