At least 24 dead in Abidjan’s Early Rainy Season Floods, Landslides
At least 24 people have lost their lives over a span of 10 days in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city, due to floods and landslides triggered by an unusually intense start to the rainy season, authorities confirmed on Monday.
The National Office for Civil Protection (ONPC) reported the deaths following heavy rains from Thursday, June 13 to Saturday, June 22. This period saw rainfall approximately four times higher than usual in the country’s economic capital, resulting in significant water level rises and landslides. Additionally, two individuals are missing after being swept away by floodwaters.
Although, frequent heavy rains followed by destructive floods are a recurring challenge in Abidjan, however low-income families reside in flood-prone areas despite government efforts to clear shantytowns through a mass clean-up initiative.
