Senegal is a low human development country, ranked 154 out of 173 countries in the 2002 Human Development Index. In January 2002, several areas of Senegal (Danaga and Podor in Saint Louis region and Linguere and Louga in Louga region) were affected by a cold wave and heavy rains. These events caused significant deterioration of living conditions and had serious impacts on agriculture and livestock production. Twenty-eight people died, another 179,000 were affected, and some 470,000 heads of livestock were lost. The government appealed for aid on 17 January 2002.