Togo Flooding Submerges Villages

Nine major bridges have been wiped out, stranding villagers in flooded hamlets, he said. As many as 5 000 people have been rendered homeless, according to the government's website, but aid workers say the number could be much higher.

Ghana, Togo's neighbour, sent in helicopters to rescue villagers trapped in their flooded homes. France sent a disaster crew on Friday from its peacekeeping mission in nearby Côte d'Ivoire.

But Togo's main opposition party criticised the government for not doing enough and called for an emergency session of Parliament to address the disaster.

The floods have affected several parts of the country, including the capital, Lome, and the Maritime and Plateau regions, a BBC reporter says. Downpours have also destroyed bridges, severing transport between the north and the rest of the country.

The army has begun rescue operations while the government has appealed for international aid. At least three people have been killed in the flooding, UN officials said. Farming communities in central Togo have also been submerged in water after rivers burst their banks. In the south of the country, 23 stranded children were rescued by helicopter provided by the air force in neighbouring Ghana, the BBC's Ebow Godwin reports from Lome. The government has decided to evacuate affected areas and create settlements for those displaced, our correspondent says. [via BBC]