Floods and landslides have killed at least 24 people over 10 days in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s largest city, authorities reported on Monday after an unusually intense start to the rainy season.
The city experienced four times heavier rainfall, causing significant flooding and landslides.
The National Office for Civil Protection (ONPC) reported 24 deaths due to “torrential rains from Thursday, June 13 to Saturday, June 22,” and warned of the risk of collapsed buildings.
According to the ONPC, two more people were missing after being swept away by the floodwaters.
On June 15, the fire service reported eight deaths from the heavy rains.
The national meteorological service, Sodexam, said that about a quarter of the total rainfall expected for the entire three-month rainy season from May to July fell in just 24 hours.
In Yopougon, Sodexam recorded 214 millimetres (8.4 inches) of rain in one day, compared to the standard 50 millimetres (two inches).
Torrential rains and devastating floods are common in Abidjan, which is home to nearly six million people. In 2023, at least 30 people died from flooding and other rain-related incidents in the country.
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