Floods following record rainfall have killed four people in Tunisia, as rescue operations continue amid a severe seven-year drought that has revealed the strain on infrastructure.
Tunis: Four people have died in floods in Tunisia after the heaviest rainfall in more than 70 years hit parts of the country.
Authorities have described a “serious” situation, with all four deaths occurring in Moknine in Monastir Governorate.
Civil defense spokesman Khalil Mechri said two people were swept away by floodwaters, while a woman drowned in her home.
Abderzak Rahal, head of forecasting at the National Institute of Meteorology, said some areas have not seen such rainfall since the 1950s.
“We have recorded an extraordinary amount of rainfall in the month of January,” Rahal told AFP.
The worst affected areas were Monastir, Nabeul and Greater Tunis, where the tourist village of Sidi Bou Said recorded 206 millimeters of rain.
Heartbreaking pictures of cars stuck in torrents of water were widely circulated on social media.
Authorities suspended classes and disrupted transportation in many areas due to the bad weather.
The Tunisian military participated in rescue operations as part of the National Commission to Combat Natural Disasters.
While rainfall is breaking records, Tunisian roads are often flooded after heavy rains due to infrastructure issues.
Drainage networks are often old and poorly maintained, with waste sometimes blocking the system.
Due to rapid urbanization, rain water is being absorbed less into the ground, due to which runoff is increasing.
The dramatic deluge comes as Tunisia suffers a seven-year drought caused by climate change.
The country has witnessed a severe water crisis, affecting agriculture and drinking water supplies, with cuts in summer.
