Niamey, Aug. 17, (dpa/GNA) – At least 64 people have died in floods in the West African country of Niger.
Heavy rains had flooded 63 communities in the country, the Ministry of Disaster Management announced on Monday evening. Around 70,000 people were affected by the flooding and at least 5,000 houses collapsed, it said.
According to the ministry, the heavy rain had started on August 11 and continued for several days.
Weather experts expect further heavy rainfall with the risk of flooding in the coming days. The government should evacuate people in vulnerable areas, they said.
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world and an important partner for the seven major industrialized nations (G7) in the fight against Islamist terrorism in West Africa.
One of the largest migration routes towards Europe runs through Niger, which borders Libya in the north.
In July, German Chancellor Angela Merkel assured the crisis-torn state of further aid from Germany, including security cooperation, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.