Floods kill more than 100 in eastern Ethiopia

Floods have killed more than 100 people and destroyed homes in eastern Ethiopia after heavy rains caused a river to overflow, police said today.

"Floods from the overflowing Dechatu river hit Dire Dawa town in the middle of Saturday night while residents were sleeping," a police inspector said.

"The bodies of 101 residents washed away by the floods have been recovered by a joint police and army rescue operation."

He said rescuers, who launched their operation early on Sunday, were looking for more bodies. "Bulldozers are digging into the sandy banks of the Dechatu river in search of more bodies," he said.

Benyam said some 220 residential houses had been destroyed by the floods.