The West African nation of Benin deals with flooding every rainy season, but this year it is bad enough to declare a national emergency and require UN help.

"Thousands of people fleeing floodwaters are living with precarious food security, [staying with] family and in public places," Interior Minister Armand Zinzindohoue said, in a statement reported by the U.N. Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN).

Flood victims are in dire need of water, food, medicine, mosquito nets and clothing, Zinzindohoue said.

Multiple UN agencies -- the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the UN Children's Fund -- are all working to ensure that the needs of affected Beninese are met, but tens of millions of dollars are still needed.