Flood Engulfs Town In Central Somalia 

Almost 250,000 people in central Somalia have had to flee their homes after a river flooded the town of Beledweyne. <br />Hirshabelle State Interior Minister Abdirahmaan Dahir Gure says People had to shelter under trees after the Shabelle river burst its banks, meaning 99% of those living in the town and surrounding areas are now homeless. <br />The UN is warning that the floodwaters could also hit Bulo Burde town, some 110 km away. <br />Somali government officials say heavy downpours in Somalia and upstream in the Ethiopian highlands triggered flash floods that washed away homes, crops, and livestock.