ETHIOPIA: Aid reaches Ethiopian villagers marooned by floods

Aid arrived in the southwestern Ethiopian town of Omerate on Saturday (August 19), reaching people marooned by flash floods. Floods have killed more than 900 people and left tens of thousands homeless across the country. Ethiopia has relocated 16,000 stranded residents. Thousands more have moved away from floodwaters of their own accord but some have also been reluctant to leave their villages and their cattle - for many their only form of wealth - behind. There are fears the death toll could still rise rapidly as bad weather and poor access hamper relief efforts. In Omerate, residents gathered under trees with friends and family, refusing to leave the area despite rising waters from the river Omot that have filled a nearby dam and threatened to flood the area. Last week a flood peak on the same river caused it to burst its banks, killing 364 people. Police said they had rescued livestock in an attempt to prevent economic devastation in the area after the floods. In some areas, special forces in helicopters descended from ropes to help the stranded. The floods have hit large sections of the country and have displaced as many as 48,000 people. Ethiopia has warned that more rivers are overflowing, and its major dams are near to rupturing. Flooding typically occurs in Ethiopia's lowlands after heavy rains in the June-September rainy season drench the highlands.

ITN Source | August 21, 2006

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