Three killed as torrential rains wreak devastation in Mauritania

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) Aug 10, 2003
Three people were killed, including a child, as torrential rains wreaked devastation across southern Mauritania over the past three days, official sources and witnesses said Sunday.

The downpour killed three people in the southeast of the country, including a child in the town of Timbedra in the Saharan country.

Some southern districts had almost a full year's average rainfall in 24 hours, destroying houses and flooding markets.

In the southern Affole area, burst dams and dykes have flooded one of the main agricultural areas in Mauritania, one of the poorest countries in the world.

The army and emergency services are bringing help to affected areas.

TERRA.WIRE