Ivory Coast Floods Kill 59 as Rainy Season Intensifies

A "particularly heavy" rainy season that started in mid-May has led to deadly flooding, Ivory Coast government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Coulibaly added that a "particularly high toll of 59 people who have died this year, even though we are only at the beginning of the rainy season."

Searches of flood-affected areas are ongoing, and authorities fear the toll could rise, he added.

Informal settlements vulnerable to flooding

Every year, Ivory Coast's rainy season from May to late July unleashes flooding and landslides that kill dozens, especially those living in less-developed areas.

In the capital, Abidjan, 10 people were killed in floods in just two days, the government reported on Monday. Floods are a continual problem in Abidjan.

Large informal settlements also form in flood-prone areas amid rapid urban growth.

The government has been clearing out what it calls precarious neighborhoods in flood-prone zones with eviction and demolition operations for several years.

Spokesman Coulibaly said that areas "where residents have complied with the government's safety instructions and agreed to relocate" have yet to see any flooding deaths.

He added 20 people were killed in Abidjan's Attecoube neighborhood, where some victims had returned to previously cleared sites.

Floods also led to fatalities in neighboring Ghana, with entire buildings and roads submerged in Accra.

Deadly floods are common in parts of Africa, among the world's most vulnerable regions to extreme weather events. The continent is only responsible for a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Edited by: Rana Taha