The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Thursday that more than 300,000 people have been displaced by flooding in Malawi, almost twice as many as previously estimated. According to figures released by the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) unit, floods triggered by weeks of heavy rains have affected more than 1 million people, killed 276, and injured more than 600. "With these new numbers ... we need to take stock of our response to ensure all children and families have access to emergency services and supplies," said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF's country representative in Malawi. "We are carefully monitoring how displaced children are faring, as we know after one month in crowded camps, disease outbreaks and increased malnutrition can occur." UNICEF said that its staff is on high alert for water-borne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and malaria and said that displacement camps are providing roughly 56,000 women and children with essential healthcare services. Rain is still falling in the flooded areas, preventing many of the displaced from returning to their homes.
