Ethiopia pleas for help as death toll from floods, crocodiles rises to 107

ADDIS ABABA, April 29 (AFP) — Ethiopian authorities on Friday pleaded for help in dealing with devastating floods that have swept through the country’s south-east 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 the 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 south-eastern Somali state, 1,380 kilometre 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 and, the official, Abdullahi Mahdi, told AFP.

“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.

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.