Rains fail to bring relief in Zimbabwe

Recent heavy rainfall across much of southern Africa has brought little respite to millions of people facing chronic food shortages caused by years of drought. Cases of cholera and anthrax have increased in the wake of wide-spread flooding, and the region's health systems are struggling to cope.

Particularly badly affected is Zimbabwe. A statement issued on 6 January by the International Federation of the Red Cross warned: “The cholera outbreak in southeastern Zimbabwe that began …