YAMOUSSOUKRO, 8th July, 2023 (WAM) — At least 10 people have died in the heavy rains and landslides pummeling Abidjan, Ivory Coast, officials told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The count was a provisional toll as of Friday, according to Anicet Bah, Military's Firefighting Brigade GSPM Deputy Head of Operations.
The firefighters were told another three victims had been washed away, but the operation to find them had been called off after a search that was “in vain”, Bah added.
June and July bring heavy rain to Ivory Coast every year, but precarious construction has led to more flood-prone areas in this swelling West African metropolis, which is home to an estimated 5.6 million people.