U.N. reports 600,000 affected by West Africa flooding

By Moni Basu

CNN

(CNN) - Torrential rains and flooding have affected 600,000 people in 16 West African nations, the United Nations reported Tuesday.

The worst hit have been Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ghana and Niger, said Yvon Edoumou, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. So far, 159 people have died, he said.

Edoumou said removing water from flooded areas is a top priority but powerful pumps are in shortage.

"Some people refused to leave their homes so they are living in flood waters," he said.

The United Nations has not yet received reports of water-borne diseases, but Edoumou said a real threat exists of diarrhea or worse, cholera.

Private aid agencies are working with the United Nations to distribute food and other emergency items. Oxfam International is assessing the crisis in Burkina Faso, where 150,000 people have been affected in the capital of Ouagadougou and key infrastructure including a central hospital, schools, bridges and roads have been damaged. The flooding in Burkina Faso is the worst in 90 years.