Flooding and landslips during Niger's rainy season have so far left 15 people dead and affected more than 23,000 others, the civil protection services said on Thursday.

The worst-hit regions are Zinder in the south of the arid Sahel state, followed by Maradi and Diffa, also in the south.

Niger, the world's poorest country by the benchmark of the UN's Human Development Index, is often hit by floods when the badly-needed rains arrive.

The season, which runs from June to August or September, has become deadlier in recent years, including in Niger's desert north.

Last year at least 70 people died across the country and more than 200,000 were affected, according to local and UN figures.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Tweet

Flood anniversary prompts sadness and soul-searching in Germany
Altenahr, Germany (AFP) July 14, 2022
Germany will on Thursday remember more than 180 people killed in severe floods a year ago, as concerns mount over climate change and the country looks to overhaul its planning for future disasters. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will embark on a tour of the Ahr valley, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz will attend a memorial event in the hard-hit town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. A series of events are also planned in neighbouring Belgium, where 39 people were killed in the deluge. Severe flood ... read more