The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned of further flooding across Ethiopia in coming months after the country experienced the worst floods in its history last month. At least 647 people died and thousands were made homeless.
In an appeal to donors on Tuesday, the IFRC warned that these "unprecedented" floods might continue in some parts of the country.
"Although floods in many parts of Ethiopia are a yearly phenomenon, the magnitude of the current flooding is considered unprecedented," the IFRC said in the appeal. "Given the fact that the rainy season in some parts of Ethiopia, particularly South Omo, normally only starts in September and runs until the end of October, it is expected that the flooding situation in some areas will deteriorate further."
Forecasters have warned that the country is likely to face further floods from the rains that are expected to continue until the end of the rainy season in September.
Preliminary reports and statistics gathered by the Ethiopian Government Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency (DPPA) indicate substantial losses of livestock, severe losses and/or damage to crops, and a serious health risks to animals, the IFRC said.
"The scope of the disaster therefore continues to unfold, but the impact is clear in terms of lives lost, infrastructure damaged, livelihoods affected, and basic coping mechanisms stretched," the organisation said.
Most of the affected are agro-pastoralists who sought refuge in the nearest safe zones, hoping to return to their pastures and farms as soon as the waters receded, according to the IFRC.
Meanwhile, a committee of artists has started raising US $14,000 for the victims after showing English Premiership football matches on a giant screen in the capital, Addis Ababa. Football fans paid 35 cents each to watch the Chelsea-Liverpool and Arsenal-Manchester games.
"We have collected about 120,000 birr ($14,264) after people paid to watch the football games on a big screen on Meskel square on Sunday,” said Okubay Berhe, chairman of the committee for the flood victims. "Despite heavy rain, we managed to gather 40,000 people."
The committee, made up of artists, musicians, publishers and advertising companies, hopes to raise 12 million Birr to help feed the homeless and rebuild houses and schools for the flood victims across the country, the organisers say.
"Sundays match was just the first part of our fundraising programme. After six or eight weeks we will organise a big music festival to raise the rest of the 12 million Birr we need," Okubay added.
The committee, called "Your compatriots are on your side" in Amharic, also plans to organise a football match between Ethiopian teams and to sell T-shirts to raise money.
Across Ethiopia, the number of people affected by the floods has reached 357,000, including 136,528 forced to abandon their homes, according to the United Nations.
The World Food Program has given out more than 2,500 metric tonnes of food assistance for the flood victims in various parts of the country, the organisation said in a statement.
Ethiopian authorities have appealed for $27 million in funds to deal with the disaster, which struck first in the east in early August and then hit the southwest.
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