Floods hit southeast Niger

Flooding in southeast Niger, the landlocked West African country known for periodic drought, has affected more than 8,000 people and cost millions in lost agricultural output, the UN said Thursday.

Rising waters on the Yobe River caused damage to crops "worth about 10 billion CFA Francs," or 15 million euros, the UN's local humanitarian affairs bureau said.

The affected areas will need about 6.0 million euros in aid, it said, adding that flood waters in the Diffa region began to subside at the end of December.

Last month, flooding on the mighty River Niger threatened the capital Niamey after floods in August and September cost almost 70 lives across the impoverished country and made tens of thousands homeless.