At least 273 people have died and more than 700,000 have been displaced in Niger after record rainfall submerged Agadez, a city in the Niger sector of the Sahara Desert, known as one of the hottest and driest places in Africa, the Malijet news portal reported.
Most fatalities occurred because houses, which are made of unbaked clay blocks and not designed for heavy rain, have been collapsing after prolonged exposure to moisture since May. The hardest-hit areas are the districts of Tahoua and Maradi. Floods have affected 201 out of the country's 266 communities, destroying over 73,000 homes.
The Niger authorities are urging people to evacuate flood-prone areas and are providing humanitarian aid and rescue teams to the affected zones. They are working with international organizations to supply food and essential goods, offer medical assistance, and set up sanitation services for those in need.