Unconfirmed reports indicate widespread flooding recently, may have caused serious damage to the rice crop to be harvested this month. This may exacerbate ongoing food supply problems in the country. Following serious flooding in the 1996 season which significantly affected rice production in major rice producing areas in the lowlands of Central and Southern Region, an emergency operation was jointly approved by FAO and WFP in March this year, to raise 30 240 tons of rice for flood victims. In addition, donors provided cash to purchase some 15 000 tons.