ESAT News (May 19, 2016)
Heavy rains and flooding have displaced about 230, 000 people from their homes in the last few weeks, according to a UN report.
Flooding has become a major concern at a time when the country has not yet fully responded to the looming famine that is threatening the lives of millions of Ethiopians, says the UN.
The situation is more serious in Eastern Ethiopia, in Somali region, where flooding has displaced 237,000 people since last month.
The Ethiopian government meanwhile disclosed that at least 150 people have died in the flooding. The government said more people could be displaced due to flooding that is expected to continue till August.
The country’s Disaster Prevention Commission said crops on 36,000 hectares of land have been completely destroyed by the heavy rain and the ensuing flooding, while an estimated 30,000 cattle have died.
The UN estimates one million people could be displaced before the end of the year due to flooding. Heavy rains and flooding have posed a major hurdle in the delivery of aid to victims of the drought who are in remote areas of the country.