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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Floods Devastate Africa

Deluge triggers humanitarian crisis

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(Newser) – Several of Africa's poorest countries have been devastated by a catastrophic deluge of rain, washing away lives, communities and crops. As many as 18 of the normally driest countries in the world, from Senegal, Mauritania, Mali and Burkina Faso in the west, to Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia in the east, will be inundated with floods for weeks.

"We believe at least 650,000 homes have been destroyed, 1.5 million people affected and nearly 200 people drowned," said a United Nations spokeswoman. "This is harvest time for many countries and there are already food shortages."

Aerial view of the floods effecting the Katawki district of eastern Uganda, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007. Across Africa, torrential downpours and flash floods have submerged whole towns and washed away bridges, farms and schools. More than a million people across at least 17 countries have been affected by the rains...
Aerial view of the floods effecting the Katawki district of eastern Uganda, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007. Across Africa, torrential downpours and flash floods have submerged whole towns and washed away bridges,...   (Associated Press)
An aerial view of flooded parts of Teso sub region, in north eastern Uganda, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007. Torrential downpours and flash floods across Africa have submerged whole towns and washed away bridges, farms and schools. This summer's rains have killed at least 150 people, displaced hundreds of thousands and...
An aerial view of flooded parts of Teso sub region, in north eastern Uganda, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007. Torrential downpours and flash floods across Africa have submerged whole towns and washed away bridges,...   (Associated Press)
Members of the public are stranded on one side of the road after the bridge at Mrima, Mombasa, Kenya, was washed away by heavy floods Sunday, Feb.11, 2007. Torrential downpours and flash floods across Africa during 2007 have submerged whole towns and washed away bridges, farms and schools, killed...
Members of the public are stranded on one side of the road after the bridge at Mrima, Mombasa, Kenya, was washed away by heavy floods Sunday, Feb.11, 2007. Torrential downpours and flash floods across...   (Associated Press)
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