Burkina Faso

The heaviest rains to hit Burkina Faso in decades have killed five people and left 150,000 homeless, officials say. Flooding destroyed thousands of homes in and around the capital, Ouagadougou, triggering officials pleas for international help. Aid groups said flood waters had smashed bridges and washed away roads, making their task even more difficult. Some 30centimeters of rain fell in less than 10 hours - analysts labeling it the heaviest downpour since 1919. PM Tertius Zongo told reporters after an emergency cabinet meeting that five people had so far been confirmed dead in the floods, and at least 150,000 were homeless. (BBC)