Thousands displaced in Malawi floods

Thousands of people in central and northern Malawi have been forced from their homes by floods.

A government official said crops and livestock have also been destroyed after the river Dzongwe burst its banks following a week of heavy rains.

Malawi is already facing severe food shortages and the flooding has further hampered the relief effort.

A railway line and an important road bridge have been washed away in the past two weeks.

The government is attempting to import maize, Malawi's staple food, but correspondents say that only a relatively small amount has arrived in the country, forcing the authorities to ration its sale.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service