More than half a million people have been affected by severe flooding in Ethiopia, with some places recording the heaviest rains in a century, the minister for water and irrigation Seleshi Bekele has said.

About 200,000 have been left homeless by the floods which have swept through at least five of Ethiopia's 10 regions, he added.

The floods have killed livestock, destroyed crops and damaged homes and public infrastructure to an extent not seen in decades.

As the situation worsened in recent days the government has started helicopter missions to provide relief to the worst affected areas.

Neighbouring Sudan has also been hit by severe flooding.

It has been caused by higher than usual seasonal rains, and the levels of the River Nile have been at their highest in a century.