Crocs, floods, hit Ethiopia

2005-04-29 20:44

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian authorities on Friday pleaded for help in dealing with devastating floods that have swept through the country's southeast as the death toll from water and crocodiles rose to at least 107.

At least 99 people have drowned in the flooding that began at the weekend and another eight have been devoured by crocodiles that have taken to raging waters of the Wabe Shebell river since it burst its banks on Saturday, officials said.

"We need some support mainly in small boats to move people to safe and high lands, more blankets, plastic sheeting and cooking utensils, including cups and plates," said the regional disaster chief of Ethiopia's southeastern Somali state, 1 380km from Addis Ababa.

In one area alone, near Kelafo in Somali state's Godie district, eight people were eaten by crocodiles and seven washed away by the waters which submerged 84 villages, said the official, Abdullahi Mahdi, from the regional capital of Jigiga.

"Due to the continuing of heavy rain in the highland up north and within the affected areas... the death toll has increased in the lowland areas down stream in Deghabur," he said.

Deghabur is about 800km southeast of Addis Ababa.

About 60 000 people have so far been displaced in the region, but continued heavy rains and breakdowns in communications have hindered updates from humanitarian teams so the death toll and number of homeless may be higher, officials said.

The downpours have also affected travel as roads have been closed and bridges cut off, they said.

"We are doing all we can we have reached almost the main affected areas. Indeed due to rain and damaged roads we could not come out with clear cut situation assessment," Abdullahi added.

"If the rain is to continue it may take sometime to see the clear picture of damage to people and animals, which are the most important backbone of the economy of the area."

Relief supplies began arriving in the flood-ravaged region on Tuesday but access to Somali state's most remote communities, like Mustahil, was still proving difficult and the new rains had complicated the situation.

The flooding, which began on Saturday, followed days of uninterrupted rain in the highlands to the north of the affected area and hit most villages at night, taking sleeping residents by surprise.

Before the rains, the area had been repeatedly hit by drought and the dried up river bed was unable to handle the excess water, leading to flooding along almost its entire length that stretched across the border into Somalia.

- AFP