ETHIOPIA: Disease fear for flood-swamped Ethiopia

Authorities in Ethiopia fear the death toll from disease could rise in the flood-ravaged country. At least 150 people have so far died from outbreaks of acute diarrhoea. Another 12,000 have been infected. Rescue efforts are continuing after flash floods earlier this month swamped villages and towns. But they're being hampered by more rainfall and poor access to remote flooded areas. Around 900 people were killed, nearly 50,000 made homeless, and it's many of these who are at risk from water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea and cholera. The African Union, which is based in Addis, pledged to give the Ethiopian government 100,000 US dollars to help relief efforts. "We did 26 flights together with the special commandos and brought those people who were stranded by flash flood, to safer grounds where they can get medical treatments such as food, and shelter. The people who inhabits here are mostly pastoralists and we brought them here so that their children can get nutritional foods," said helicopter pilot Major Berke Tasawe. Ethiopia has warned that more rivers across the nation are overflowing, and its major dams are near to rupturing. Flooding typically occurs in the lowlands after heavy rains in the June-September rainy season drench the highlands.

ITN Source | August 27, 2006

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