Flood Journal Entry
Floods Get Worse in Southern Africa (January 25, 2008)
Before (lower) and after (upper) false-color satellite views of floods along the Zambezi River in southern Africa. NASA.
Floods are getting worse across Southern Africa as seasonal rains continue. Swollen rivers are overflowing their banks in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi. At least forty-five people have been killed.
The floods are swamping villages, roads, and farmland. Livestock is getting swept away by raging floodwaters. Some victims reportedly died from crocodile bites.
Some of the worst flooding is along the mighty Zambezi (also spelled Zambeze) River. Floods along the river are common in the summer months but this year the river began rising several weeks earlier than usual. The water level on the river is approaching that of the 2000-2001 season when floods killed 700 people and forced a half-million others to flee their homes.
The situation is expected to get worse before it improves. The region's rainy season continues through April.
Last year, floods across many parts of Africa killed at least 270 people and affected 1.5 million others.
