They are going to have to come up with a new definition for the word 'emergency'.

At the moment Princeton University's Wordnet says an emergency is "a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action".

But that is nowhere near strong enough to describe what is currently unfolding across Ethiopia. It is not so much a one-off, unpredictable thing that we are going through - more a constant series of mostly predictable things.

A few months ago, during the dry season, it was a drought. Now, during the rainy season, it is a devastating flood. In the background, there is the steady spread of deadly Acute Watery Diarrhea, now into Addis Ababa. Outside the headlines, Ethiopia is currently rolling out its largest ever distribution of insecticide-treated nets following warnings of a possible malaria epidemic. And don't forget the measles and the chronic child malnutrition.

Then The Economist reminds you:

To the south, in the Ogaden desert, [Meles Zenawi] has been fighting with the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a rebel group that seeks autonomy for south-eastern Ethiopia. On August 11th Ethiopia reported having shot dead 13 ONLF fighters slipping across the desert from Somalia. Ethiopia's recent military incursion into Somalia in defence of the Transitional Government in Baidoa threatens imminent conflict there against Islamist militias based in the capital, Mogadishu.

On top of this comes the distinct possibility of a conflict with Ethiopia's arch-enemy Eritrea in the north, where perhaps as many as half of Eritrea's young men are massed under arms on its side of the disputed border.

Most of the time, you can put this all into some sort of perspective. Yes it is terrible - but don't forget the growing economy, the construction boom, all the other parts of the country that aren't going through a crisis at this precise moment, the great film industry, the flower exports, the athletes, the stunning scenery, Lalibela etc, etc, etc.

But when you come back from a month-long break and all this hits you in one day, you can start to feel a little overwhelmed.

Original post by aheavens