Acording to Gilbert Wari, President of the Sevcenth-day Adventist Church’s West-Central Africa Division families of headquarters' employees in Abidjan have been temporarily relocated to the neighboring country of Ghana, a precautionary move during political unrest.

About 10 employees remain at the division headquarters, which is located about 330 yards from the presidential palace, he said.

In Abidjan and across Ivory Coast violence is growing, with mounting civilian casualties and over a million people fleeing their homes in search of safety.

"The humanitarian situation has deteriorated again and has become absolutely dramatic in Abidjan where fighting is still continuing," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"The majority of hospitals are no longer working, they lack oxygen, public services are no longer working, the ambulances are no longer functioning and when they work, they are being shot at," said Byrs. "Access to civilian populations is impossible due to security problems," she added.

Several cities in Ivory Coast are experiencing unrest following a contested election. Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has not relinquished power four months after losing to Alassane Ouattara. The United Nations has since recognized Ouattara's presidency.

Adventist Church leaders said some church members have relocated away from the Abobo neighborhood, a suburb of Abidjan and one of the areas of heaviest fighting.

More than 1.000 people have died in the post-election violence in Ivory Coast and up to 1 million people have fled Abidjan, international media reported.

Church division officers and leaders are now in the United States for the denomination's Spring Meeting of the world church Executive Committee and departmental advisories.

Church officers' family members were moved over the past two weeks to a women's center at church-owned Valley View University in Accra. Fighting has again flared in recent weeks, which prompted the move, said division President Gilbert Wari.

"While we were away we did not want to leave our families at risk," Wari said.

Church officers have monitored the tense situation since November's national election. Two missionary families and several local families at the division were relocated for 17 days in January. Wari said division officers met on March 8 to discuss future operations, deciding against temporarily relocating the headquarters.

There are nearly 12,000 Adventists in Ivory Coast.

The West-Central African Division is one of the denomination's 13 world divisions and serves 22 countries.