Mauritania: Floods from heavy rains in Nouakchott

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 08:24 am

Residents of quite a few neighborhoods in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, observed their toes in the water on Sunday after a rare abundance of rain.

Driving used to be impossible in some neighborhoods whose degree is one meter under that of the sea, although pumps had been activated at some stage in the night to empty the streets.

“We were no longer able to move about today. We are caught in this nearby via the water, we slept very badly due to the fact the streets and some houses are submerged,” said to KnowAfrika Sidi Ould Yarg, cab driver.

Mauritania has this yr accumulated a rainfall above common for a wet season, or wintering, according to authorities.

President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani visited Bassiknou and Addel Begrou (far southeast) on September 10. Both cities had been badly affected through floods that destroyed homes.

“The president has set up an emergency response unit, promised to restore the shielding barrier of the city of Bassiknou and the construction of a avenue to open up Addel Begrou,” the Mauritanian information organisation announced.

Several West African nations are presently been affected by using floods. Dozens of deaths have been recorded in Niger, Senegal and Burkina Faso.

(AFP)