Deadly floods affect more than 400,000 in Somalia (VIDEO)

Floods caused by days of heavy rain have left a trail of devastation in central Somalia, displacing thousands of families in Beledweyne, the region’s most densely populated city. According to the UN, over 460,000 people have been affected, including nearly 219,000 who have been displaced.

An official with Somalia’s National Disaster Management Agency told the Associated Press that at least five people, including three children, have been killed.

Rising water levels have forced the closure of several critical facilities, including government offices and the main hospital, as doctors fear a cholera epidemic and a malaria outbreak. Residents have told RT that “schools are all shut down and no learning is taking place.”

Locals who say they have been displaced from their homes and camps are pleading with humanitarian organizations to assist them.