Malawi Floods Kill 170 And Leave Thousands Homeless

 Devastating floods have wreaked havoc in Malawi and Mozambique, with some areas deluged with a month's worth of rain in 24 hours.

The authorities in Malawi say at least 170 people have died in flash floods - a sharp rise on previous figures.

Heavy rain over the past month has swept many houses away and caused residents to flee to higher ground, some crossing the border to Mozambique.

Vice-President Saulos Chilima said more than 100,000 people had been displaced from their homes, mostly in the south.

Earlier this week, the government declared a third of the country to be a disaster zone and appealed for help.

The Malawian authorities have been using military helicopters and boats to reach some of those stranded.

                       Thousands of people have been displaced after seeing their homes washed away

But Mr Chilima said the rescue operation had been hampered by poor weather in the past few days and the difficulty of finding places for helicopters to land.

He said more helicopters and boats were needed, as well as tents and food.

The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza in Malawi says some key roads and bridges have been washed away.

South African troops are being deployed in neighbouring Mozambique where at least 25 people have died and a major road has been destroyed.