Over 10 days, floods and landslides have claimed the lives of 24 individuals in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city.
During this period, the city experienced rainfall four times higher than usual, resulting in significant flooding and landslides across the economic capital of this West African nation.
The National Office for Civil Protection (ONPC) confirmed the fatalities, attributing them to “torrential rains from Thursday 13 to Saturday 22 June,” and issued warnings about the structural risks of buildings collapsing.
Additionally, two individuals were reported missing after being swept away by floodwaters.
This update revises an earlier report from June 15 by the fire service, which initially recorded eight deaths following the unusually intense rainfall.
According to Sodexam, the national meteorological service, approximately a quarter of the total rainfall expected during the entire three-month rainy season from May to July fell within just 24 hours.
In Yopougon commune, rainfall reached 214 millimetres (8.4 inches) in a single day, far surpassing the average of 50 millimetres (two inches).
Abidjan frequently faces such severe weather events, exacerbated by its population of nearly six million people, many of whom reside in flood-prone areas, including informal settlements.
Despite government efforts to clear these areas through a mass clean-up policy, impoverished residents continue to be at risk.
In 2023, heavy rains led to flooding and related incidents that claimed the lives of at least 30 people in Ivory Coast.
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