Floods devastate Nile villages

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33776, 24 February 1975, Page 1

Floods devastate Nile villages

(N Z P A -Reuter—Copyright) CAIRO, Feb. 23. Rescue efforts continued today in southern Egypt, where at least 15 people have died in the country’s worst floods for more than 20 years. More than 20 Nile villages were devastated three days ago as torrential rains lashed the region, in which the Mink and Assyut areas were worst hit. Mosques and thousands of mud houses were smashed, and standing crops were destroyed as

floodwaters rose, said officials. Teams of workers were drafted by the Irrigation Ministry to dig drainage channels, and flood gates in the Aswan Dam were opened to release water from the fast-rising lake behind. The newspaper, “AJAkhabar.” reported today that 135 marble quarry workers in the Beni Suef area were trapped by rising water, and rescue workers had been unable to reach them. In the Minia area, about

7000 people were living in temporary accommodation in Government buildings, schools, and mosques after their homes were destroyed, said the Local Government Minister (Mr Hamed Mahmoud). In the Assyut area, more than 5000 people were homeless and were being sheltered in tents. Mr Mahmoud said Government subsidies were being given to affected families, and clothing and food worth $42,000 had been sent to the area by the Government.