UNSEASONAL HEAVY RAIN CAUSES FLOODING AND KILLS AT LEAST 17

recent torrential rains and flooding in and around the mining town of Redeyef, located 210 miles southwest of Tunis, the capital, have left 17 people dead and approximately eight injured. Heavy rains in this traditionally arid region in southern Tunisia have resulted in flood waters rising to near 6 ft/1.8 m in certain areas in recent days. Officials stated that many of the casualties occurred when homes and other buildings were swept away in flood waters. Although September is not generally a particularly rainy month for Tunisia, national meteorological experts predict continued heavy rains until at least 25 September. Rains throughout September have also seriously affected other countries in North and West Africa, killing nearly 200 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.