Algeria: Five people dead after sudden flash floods

On September 27th, the Algerian Civil Protection announced that five people, including three children, had lost their lives after flash floods swept through the northeast of Algeria. According to CNews via AFP, the regions affected, namely Setif, Medea, and M’Sila, have faced torrential rain since September 25th, which quickly led to the formation of floods.

Authorities have responded swiftly by rescuing several stranded Algerians after this natural catastrophe took over their hometowns and regions. Yet, despite their efforts, the sudden events inevitably led to the reported deaths. Sadly, the bodies of two children, a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl, were retrieved from the Sidi Aïssa park in the province of M’Sila. The body of another young boy was found early on September 27th after he was declared missing when he drifted away with the flash floods.

Meteorological services issued warnings that intense precipitation could reach 15 mm in the east of Algeria. However, the floods are now considered one of the most intense climate events in recent years. The death toll might be rising in the next few days as rescues are still being carried out.

While the extent of the damages caused by the tragedy is unclear, this sudden climate event resonates with a recent study by Oxfam published on June 10th. They warned that climate change would be affecting women in the MENA region much more disproportionately, which poses concerning threats to their rights.

Such events generally cause considerable damage to impoverished areas or might lead to the impoverishment of certain regions. These conditions might motivate certain families under financial pressure to strip their daughters of an education for the benefit of domestic work and/or to force them into early marriage. Violence against women is also said to be intensified in such situations.

While certain countries in the region, like Morocco, are making these practices illegal by expanding women’s and children’s rights, more needs to be done in the region to safeguard the rights of women and girls and to ensure these climate events don’t affect them disproportionately.

CNews via AFP, Maghrebi.org