Flooding kills nearly 70 in Burundi

At least 69 people, including children, have been killed in the central Africa nation of Burundi because of torrential rains, an aid group said Thursday.

The rains have triggered mudslides, swept away some homes and caused others to collapse, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement.

More than 180 people have been injured, the group said, adding that it would expect to see more casualties as rescue teams reach more of the affected areas.

The storm is causing chaos in and around the capital of Bujumbura.

Close to 20,000 people have been displaced and more than 2,000 families have been left homeless, the aid group said. Roads and crops have also been damaged.

"Today, we call upon all charitable people who have historically shown solidarity with Burundi to again come forward. We need temporary shelter. We need hygiene kits and we need kitchen sets. People are destitute. We absolutely have to find the means to assist these people," said Pamphile Kantabaze, secretary general of the Burundi Red Cross Society.
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