Four dead in Tunisia floods after record rainfall, with rescue operations underway and infrastructure strain exposed amid a severe seven-year drought.
TUNIS: Flooding in Tunisia has killed four people after parts of the country experienced their heaviest rainfall in more than 70 years.
Authorities described a “critical” situation, with all four deaths occurring in Moknine in the Monastir governorate.
Civil defence spokesman Khalil Mechri said two people were swept away by floodwaters while a woman drowned in her home.
Abderazak Rahal, head of forecasting at the National Institute of Meteorology, said some regions had not seen such rainfall since 1950.
“We have recorded exceptional amounts of rainfall for the month of January,” Rahal told AFP.
The hardest-hit regions were Monastir, Nabeul and greater Tunis, with the tourist village of Sidi Bou Said recording 206 millimetres of rain.
Striking images of cars stranded in torrents of water circulated widely on social media.
Authorities suspended classes in several regions and interrupted transportation due to the bad weather.
The Tunisian army took part in rescue operations as part of the national commission for combating natural disasters.
While the rainfall is record-breaking, Tunisian streets often flood after heavy downpours due to infrastructure issues.
Drainage networks are often old and poorly maintained, with waste sometimes clogging the system.
Rapid urbanisation has also led to less rainwater being absorbed into the ground, increasing runoff.
The dramatic deluges come as Tunisia grapples with a seven-year drought worsened by climate change.
The country has seen severe water stress, affecting agriculture and drinking water supplies with summer cuts.
