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Africa

Ethiopia: 500,000 people affected by the ‘heaviest rain in 100 years’

More than half a million people have been affected by severe flooding in Ethiopia, with some places recording the heaviest rains in a century, the minister for water and irrigation Seleshi Bekele has said.

About 200,000 have been left homeless by the floods which have swept through at least five of Ethiopia’s 10 regions, he added.

The floods have killed livestock, destroyed crops and damaged homes and public infrastructure to an extent not seen in decades.

Floods
Copyright: Government of Ethiopia

As the situation worsened in recent days the government has started helicopter missions to provide relief to the worst affected areas.

Neighbouring Sudan has also been hit by severe flooding.

It has been caused by higher than usual seasonal rains, and the levels of the River Nile have been at their highest in a century.

Flood in Khartoum
Copyright: Getty Images

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