World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

An Illyushin 76 airlift as it approaches the drop zone and prepares to unload its cargo of life-saving food assistance over Yida in South Sudan, where heavy rains have isolated thousands of refugees who have come to escape the conflict across the border in Sudan.

Hundreds of food bags fall from the airlifter's cargo hold in a carefully planned operation which rarely takes place except in emergency situations where there is no other way to reach the hungry with food.

A team of aid workers waits on the ground, ready to move in as soon as the bags have fallen to ensure that all of the food reaches the people who need it.

Bags scattered across the drop zone have to be collected and loaded onto trucks so that it can be taken to the refugee camp not far away.

WFP Emergencies Officer Geoff Pinnock supervises the operation from the back of a four wheeler.

Over the coming weeks, WFP will drop some 2,000 metric tons of food to areas where refugees are cut off by roads and waterways.

Thanks to air drops like these, food distributions can continue for thousands of families forced to flee their homes in Sudan.