More die in East African floods

The floods in Nairobi are the worst for several years

An estimated 117 people have died following heavy flooding in eastern Ethiopia - most from disease or crocodile attacks.

In neighbouring Kenya, 47 people are now reported to have died as a result of the severe flooding there in the past few weeks.

Hundreds of thousands of people in the Eastern Africa region have fled their homes.

And there are fears that the floods could cause longer term damage to regional infrastructure.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia more than 100,000 people have been left homeless after the Wabe Shebelle river burst its banks, washing away houses and roads

FLOODS

Kenya: 60,000 displaced, 47 dead

Ethiopia: 100,000 displaced, 117 dead

Somalia: Thousands displaced

Pictures of the floods

The displaced people are perched on nearby high grounds, but the crocodiles and worsening floods have made the area virtually inaccessible.

Many of them are vulnerable to disease, as they had been weakened by years of drought, says the UN children's fund's Quoc Nguyen. Attempts are being made to open alternative roads, use motor boats or helicopters to supply food, shelter and medicine to those stranded.

Kenya

In neighbouring Kenya, the death toll has risen to 47 from the severe flooding in the past few weeks.

Tens of thousands of others have had to evacuated from areas prone to flooding, especially in western and north-eastern parts of the country.

The flooding has severely hit the infrastructure, especially roads, electricity and water supplies.

Residents of the capital, Nairobi, have now gone without running water for three weeks now.

The government has declared the floods a national disaster and called for international assistance.

The US Government has donated about $100,000 towards relief activities in Kenya.