Heavy rains in Guinea capital Conakry cause multiple deaths and destroy homes
The downpour, which struck overnight from Wednesday 30 July to Thursday 31 July, brought chaos to numerous neighbourhoods, collapsing homes and sweeping vehicles into the floodwaters.
The government said seven people had died, though civil protection services suggest the death toll could be even higher, as several people are still missing.
Several buildings collapsed during the downpour, trapping residents in floodwaters, local media and witnesses said.
A resident of the Soumanbosiya neighbourhood, Benjamin Kamano, lost his three children and their mother when part of their home collapsed.
'I heard the children calling for help,' he told AFP reporters. 'I got up quickly and found myself underwater… There was no one in the children's room. I realised they were gone, because their crying had stopped.'
The municipality of Matoto – Conakry's largest – also suffered heavily, with at least five reported deaths after two homes collapsed.
Rescue operations underway after Nigeria flooding kills at least 150
Infrastructure, drainage systems overwhelmed
The rainfall recorded in Conakry on Wednesday evening reached 70.8mm, according to national meteorological services.
The effects have been compounded by longstanding urban planning issues, with unregulated construction and blocked drainage systems making many parts of the city vulnerable to severe flooding.
Since the end of June, flooding in Guinea has resulted in at least 15 deaths and affected over 1,200 households.
The director of the National Agency for Emergency and Humanitarian Disaster Management, Lancei Touré, acknowledged that poor infrastructure and overwhelmed drainage systems have exacerbated the crisis.
In a statement issued Thursday, the government expressed 'deep sadness' over the loss of life and widespread damage.
It pledged ongoing efforts to assist affected families and address the root causes of the city's vulnerability to extreme weather events.
As the rainy season continues, many residents remain on high alert.
There are growing calls for sustainable urban reforms to better protect Guinea's capital from future disasters.
Unprecedented floods devastate harvests in northeastern Senegal
(With AFP)
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