ADDIS ABABA- Floods have killed more than 100 people and destroyed homes in eastern Ethiopia after heavy rains caused a river to overflow, police said on Sunday.
"Floods from the overflowing Dechatu river hit Dire Dawa town in the middle of Saturday night while residents were sleeping," police inspector Benyam Fikru told Reuters.
"Rescuers have so far recovered 129 bodies from the flood, but more are expected."
Rescuers from the police and army launched an operation early on Sunday, Benyam said, using bulldozers to dig through the sandy river banks in search of more corpses.
Some 220 homes had been destroyed by the flood, he added, and 90 people have been released from hospital after treatment, although four remain in hospital with serious injuries.
Benyam said a store of coffee destined for export was also swept away when the floods hit the town, located in Ethiopia's lowlands, 525 kms (326.2 miles) east of the capital Addis Ababa.
"The destruction caused to property could run into millions of dollars," the police inspector said. "The estimate is being worked out and will be released as soon as possible."
Story by Tsegaye Tadesse
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
