People fleeing from crocodiles

2005-04-27 13:06

Addis Ababa - About 82 people died in floods that swept eastern Ethiopia at the weekend and the death toll will rise further unless help gets to survivors soon, the government's relief co-ordinator said on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of people were left homeless when the Wabe Shebelle river in the eastern Somali region burst its banks on Saturday after two days of heavy rains, crashing through 40 villages and sweeping families away, said relief co-ordinator Muktar Mohammed Seyyid.

"This is a catastrophe," Muktar said by telephone from the region. "If we don't take action, I am afraid the death toll will increase."

Muktar said if the rains continue - forecasters expect thunderstorms will continue into the weekend - further deaths could occur from flooding.

"Even now there are still people in trees because they are afraid of crocodiles," he said from the worst affected area, Gode.

Some plastic sheeting and high-energy biscuits have arrived in the region but as yet rescuers have been unable to get them to survivors, said Ahmed Abdi of the United Nations World Food Programme.

He said many areas still remain cut off. - AP

- SAPA