Flooding wreaks havoc across East Africa

A flood-affected area in Ombaka villaga, Kenya. Pic/AFP

Deadly floods are wreaking havoc in many parts of East Africa that face torrential rainfall, with the poor nation of Burundi calling for international help to deal with the aftermath.

Lake Tanganyika's rising waters have invaded the port of Bujumbura, Burundi's economic capital, disrupting business there and elsewhere in the country that relies heavily on donor support to run government programmes.

"We are issuing this statement to ask our development partners to combine efforts with the state of Burundi to help all people affected by these disasters," Interior Minister Martin Niteretse said April 17. "We need that support."

Niteretse spoke in Bujumbura alongside Violet Kenyana Kakyomya, the U.N. resident coordinator in Burundi. Between September and April 7, some 203,944 people were affected by flooding, with 19,250 homes and 209 classrooms destroyed.

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