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Authorities in Tunisia said flooding caused by exceptional rainfall has killed four people and forced widespread closures, as parts of the country recorded their heaviest downpours in more than 70 years, according to Agence France-Presse.
All four deaths occurred in Moknine, in the Monastir governorate, according to civil defense spokesman Khalil Mechri. He said two people were swept away by floodwaters, while a woman drowned in her home.
Abderazak Rahal, head of forecasting at Tunisia’s National Institute of Meteorology, told AFP that some regions had not seen such rainfall since 1950. “We have recorded exceptional amounts of rainfall for the month of January,” he said, naming Monastir, Nabeul and greater Tunis as the hardest hit.
The weather prompted authorities to suspend classes on Wednesday in public and private schools and universities across 15 of Tunisia’s 24 governorates.
As the rain continued, striking images circulated on social media showing cars stranded while torrents rushed through streets. “It hasn’t stopped raining since last night,” Tunis resident Mostafa Riyahi told AFP. He said he initially noticed only small leaks but later woke to find his feet in water.
Transport was disrupted in several areas, and a defense ministry source said the Tunisian army was participating in rescue operations. INM official Mahrez Ghannouchi described the situation as “critical” in some regions in a Facebook post.
On the outskirts of Tunis, the tourist village of Sidi Bou Said recorded 206 millimeters of rain since Monday evening, according to the INM.
While the latest rainfall set records, Tunisian streets often flood during heavy downpours, a problem linked to infrastructure that is frequently old and poorly maintained. Drainage and stormwater networks, especially in rapidly expanding urban areas, can be clogged by waste, worsening street flooding.
Rapid urbanization has also reduced the amount of rainwater absorbed into the ground, increasing runoff.
The deluge comes as Tunisia faces a seven year drought that has been worsened by climate change, alongside a sharp decline in water reserves in dams nationwide. The country has experienced severe water stress affecting agriculture and drinking water supplies, with cuts imposed in several regions during the summer.
In neighboring Algeria, massive downpours and floods have hit several regions. Civil defense authorities said they recovered the body of a man in his 60s who died in flooding in the western province of Relizane. Algeria’s National Meteorology Office also issued a weather alert warning of snowfall in several areas on Wednesday.
In Libya, an emergency committee formed by the eastern based government backed by the House of Representatives imposed a comprehensive curfew and halted a number of flights in areas under its control in the east and south, citing a sandstorm that has been battering the country since Monday night and causing significant material damage.
Libya’s Ministry of Water Resources under that government said electricity supplying dams were cut due to the storm and strong winds. Social media posts and local news pages circulated photos and videos showing uprooted large trees, some falling onto citizens’ cars, as well as damaged home walls and fallen electricity towers.
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