At least 24 dead from floods and landslides after days of heavy rain in Ivory Coast’s largest city

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – Floods and landslides have killed at least 24 people in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city, after a week of heavy rains that in some cases were four times heavier than usual, authorities said Tuesday.

Flood-related deaths are not uncommon in the West African country during the rainy season, but according to the Ivorian meteorological agency, recent rains have been particularly heavy, with more than 200 millimetres (8 inches) falling in some districts, four times the usual daily amount.

Informal settlements are particularly at risk because of inadequate rainwater drainage between houses, which are often built quickly and without land use regulations.

The floods and landslides caused “significant” damage throughout the city, inundating houses and streets, Ivory Coast’s National Office for Civil Protection said. At least 271 people who were trapped after the rains were successfully rescued, it said.

To prevent deadly floods, authorities last year demolished houses built along a lagoon in Abidjan.