Recovery operations continue in the Ethiopian town of Dire Dawa, where a flash flood late Saturday killed more than 200 people. Several hundred others are still missing.
The UN World Food Program is one of the relief agencies on the scene. Among its representatives there is Mebratu Yalew. From Dire Dawa, he told VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua the Ethiopian government is trying to determine how many people need help.
He says, “Registration is going on by government, by local government…. From the WFP side, we have made available one month of rations for 10,000 people. Once the registration is finished, we can start distribution.”
He says that registration may last another two to three days. Evidence of the flood can be seen in the destruction of homes and buildings, but the ground is again sandy and dry. Mebratu says the WFP rations are on the scene and include grain, blended food, biscuits, oil and salt.