By Vickie Frantz, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
Oct 23, 2010; 3:02 PM ET
Residents of Benin (a country in northwestern Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean) have been dealing with torrential rain and massive flooding since late September. This flood disaster is the worst to strike the country since 1963, according to CARE.org.
Fifty-one of the 77 communes in the country have been affected. Areas are being assessed by helicopter, and reports estimate that close to 700,000 people have been affected by the flooding.
Flood waters surrounding local huts in Cotonou, Benin. Photo taken by Loetitia Raymond of CARE.org. Oct.21, 2010
Thousands of people are living in fragile huts that have been submerged in water 2 meters (6 1/2 feet) deep for weeks. Latrines have been flooded, and human waste has contaminated water used for drinking, cooking and bathing.
With the water contaminated, the illness of cholera is on the rise. More than 800 cases have been reported, and more cases are reported daily, according to a CARE press release.
Malaria has also become an issue in the area. The relief …
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