The government in Chile says heavy rain and flooding have displaced 15,000 people and shut down the world's largest copper mine. Road and rail bridges collapsed and at least 7 rivers burst their banks. So far 5 people have died in several days of flooding. There is a shortage of drinking water.

World News from the BBC.

The World Food Programme says an urgent appeal for more than 700 million dollars to counter the effects of rising food prices has been met. UN official says 500 million dollars given by Saudi Arabia means that it has now exceeded the target with more than 30 other countries, donating more 400 million dollars. The BBC's Tom Lane reports from UN headquarters in New York.

The key donation was a windfall from Saudi Arabia -- 500 million dollars. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was currently travelling in the Far East, has released a statement calling this contribution of unprecedented size. It comes on sort of 460 million dollars already raised by more than 30 other countries. Agency officials say the extra money will be spent on further pressing causes.