Dozens die in Angola flash floods*

More than 70 people have died in Angola after a week of storms and heavy
rain caused flash flooding in the capital, Luanda, authorities say.

Sixty-five of the deaths were in Luanda - the rest were in the southern
province of Benguela.

Reports from Luanda say the government has approved emergency measures
to shelter, rehouse and provide other assistance to the city's residents.

Luanda's governor, Job Capapinha, said thousands had been made homeless.

"We will put people in tents or in roofed shelters. We are seeing to it
that the roads are quickly cleared of water before enforcing measures to
prevent cholera," Mr Capapinha told reporters.

A cholera epidemic has killed more than 2,000 people across Angola since
it broke out in February last year.

Search operations

On Wednesday, Angola approved a $10m (£5m) six-month emergency plan to
provide assistance to those affected by the storms and to re-build
damaged infrastructure.

A government statement said the plan would shelter, re-home and provide
"other forms of assistance to citizens between now and June".

"According to the last count, there have been 71 deaths," fire service
spokesman Faustino Sebastiao told AFP news agency.

"We are carrying out search operations for bodies with the help of the
defence forces and the police," he added.

A police official from Cacuaco - Luanda's worst-hit district - said
searches were continuing for those still missing in the region.