The General Secretary of the United Church of Zambia is calling on the international Church to respond to a crisis in her country.

After two years of drought, parts of the Zambia are now experiencing torrential rain and flooding.

The Reverend Peggy Mulambya-Kabonde says people are suffering and the need is urgent.

"In the past we have had droughts, but they were not as serious as the ones we have had for the past two years."

Two million people are now in need of food aid in Zambia.

Many families do not have reserves of food and if the harvest fails then there is no stored food to rely on.

The United Church of Zambia is seeking to respond to the crisis by helping local people.

Reverend Mulambya-Kabonde said: "As a church we are working with these people who are vulnerable.

"That's the mission of Christ. We are commanded, we are instructed to share even the little we have."

The United Church of Zambia has also appealed, through the World Council of Churches, for Christians around the world to support Zambia and other parts of southern Africa also affected by drought.

Problems have been made worse in recent days by torrential rain, which has caused severe flooding in some areas.