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| Southern Africa swamped by floods | Southern Africa swamped by floods |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Vast areas of southern Africa have been hit by the worst flooding in 50 years, says the Red Cross. | Vast areas of southern Africa have been hit by the worst flooding in 50 years, says the Red Cross. |
| With more than 100 people dead, an area 1,500km (930 miles) wide, from Namibia in the west to Mozambique faces rising waters from several rivers. | With more than 100 people dead, an area 1,500km (930 miles) wide, from Namibia in the west to Mozambique faces rising waters from several rivers. |
| The Red Cross says it has only managed to reach a small fraction of the more than half a million people who have already been affected. | The Red Cross says it has only managed to reach a small fraction of the more than half a million people who have already been affected. |
| It is appealing for helicopters and boats to reach isolated communities. name="goback"> | |
| See map of flood-hit region | |
| Matthew Cochrane, from the International Federation of Red Cross, told the BBC that if Zimbabwe's Kariba dam reaches capacity, authorities there may be forced to open the floodgates. | Matthew Cochrane, from the International Federation of Red Cross, told the BBC that if Zimbabwe's Kariba dam reaches capacity, authorities there may be forced to open the floodgates. |
| If this happens, Mozambique would be hit by a wall of water and tens of thousands more people would be displaced, he warned. | If this happens, Mozambique would be hit by a wall of water and tens of thousands more people would be displaced, he warned. |
| They've got no natural reflex to evacuate, to protect their possessions, to find higher ground Matthew CochraneRed Cross | They've got no natural reflex to evacuate, to protect their possessions, to find higher ground Matthew CochraneRed Cross |
| Nearly 100,000 people have already been made homeless, he added. | Nearly 100,000 people have already been made homeless, he added. |
| He said the organisation expected the flood waters to remain for at least the next four to eight weeks. | He said the organisation expected the flood waters to remain for at least the next four to eight weeks. |
| Mr Cochrane said the waters had reached densely-populated communities - up to 30km (19 miles) from the Zambezi river - that had never been affected by flooding before. | Mr Cochrane said the waters had reached densely-populated communities - up to 30km (19 miles) from the Zambezi river - that had never been affected by flooding before. |
| "They've been hit with floods and they've got no natural reflex to evacuate, to protect their possessions, to find higher ground," he said. | "They've been hit with floods and they've got no natural reflex to evacuate, to protect their possessions, to find higher ground," he said. |
| "So the floods have been particularly difficult for them and there's a huge need for them to receive support." | "So the floods have been particularly difficult for them and there's a huge need for them to receive support." |
| The Red Cross said it had only reached about 35,000 people across the region with basic humanitarian aid, like mosquito nets, tarpaulins and water purification sachets. | The Red Cross said it had only reached about 35,000 people across the region with basic humanitarian aid, like mosquito nets, tarpaulins and water purification sachets. |
| It said heavy rain was continuing to fall in the Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Zambia. | It said heavy rain was continuing to fall in the Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Zambia. |
| This would wash more water down the Zambezi basin and could flood east to Malawi and Mozambique, it added. name="map"> | |
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