Uganda Floods 2007

In July 2007 the north eastern part of Uganda was devastated by continuous rains which caused catastrophic flooding. It was estimated to have affected over 300,000 people, many of whom were already living in IDP camps due to the continuous raping and pillaging of Lord's Resistance Army militia who were most active in this area. The water destroyed crops in this largely rural area, as well as causing the simple mud-huts in the villages to collapse. The main problem however was with health-related issues. Over half the population had malaria. Respiratory infections, brought on by the damp, were rife. There were many cases of diahorrea and Red Cross officials feared an out-break of dysentery or cholera. Some children were affected by all of these illnesses, and also had tuberculosis. Their only hope lay with the one-off injection which could be administered by The Red Cross. The only problem was that they only had enough injections to treat 1000 of the 3000+ people who attended their mobile clinic. The only way to decide who would get the jabs was to do simple "field triage". Deciding who was beyond help. Who wasn't sick enough, and treating only those who the doctors thought were 'saveable'.

Evalyn Jkerop (30) weeps as she holds her 4 year old son Judas Gebet in what used to be the center of Abuket village.

Boys walking past what remains of the village of Abuket, which was evacuated in September. Despite only having mere inches of water on the ground, the effects of this on the simple mud huts and the crops in this rural area has been devastating.

Five and a half year old Ivan Kwemboy clings to a branch to get some respite from the flood water which has engulfed his parent's hut.

The palpable misery of a child living in horrendous conditions in the village of Amuria.

Between the villages of Katakwi and Soroti the only means of transport is in large dug-out canoes which ferry people, water and food, and medical supplies through the flood water to the communities on the other side.

Each time the boat comes there is a stampede of people trying to get aboard and it quickly becomes dangerously overloaded and runs the risk of capsizing. Most Ugandans cannot swim.

A woman with her frightened baby turns away from the canoe after failing to get on it once again. She had been trying to get onto the boat with her baby for 4 hours so she could get home to her village on the Katakwi side of the flooding.

A nun, clearly distressed about the overloaded boat, grips the gunwhale as it moves away in the water.

Red Cross Mobile Health Clinic visits the IDP camp at Arou, in the Amuria province of Northern Uganda, which is ravaged by the affects of flooding.

Over half the population has malaria. Respiratory infections are rife, brought on by the damp. There are many cases of diahorrea and Red Cross officials fear an out-break of dysentery or cholera.

Some children they are affected by all of these illnesses, and also have tuberculosis. Their only hope is that the one-off injection they receive will be enough to help them make it through.

One-year-old Evalyn Atim clings to her mother and possibly to life. She has diahorrea and malaria and suspected tuberculosis. She is running a fever and her face and body are riddled with sores. Her mother Deborah Akelo (21) is petrified that Evalyn won't make it.

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