LILONGWE: The death toll from flooding in Malawi has risen to 176 and others are still missing, Vice President Saulos Chilima said on Friday after touring the worst-hit parts of the southern African country, one of the world’s poorest states.

Flash floods caused by days of torrential rain have swept away roads and bridges, destroyed thousands of hectares of crops and raised fears of a cholera outbreak in the southern half of the country.

The weather service is warning of more heavy rain in the next two to three weeks.

“So far, the death toll stands at 176 people and we fear the number will rise because several are missing and some parts are inaccessible,” Chilima said.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), one of several relief agencies rolling out assistance, said 110,000 people had been displaced, an increase from a government estimate of 70,000 earlier this week.

“Many more are likely to require assistance. With more rain forecast, there is concern that these numbers may rise,” the WFP said.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2015

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