At least 15 dead in Conakry floods, officials vow urgent upgrades

Severe flooding in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, has killed at least 15 people and displaced dozens. Weeks of heavy rain exposed the city’s fragile infrastructure, prompting emergency calls for urgent drainage system upgrades and relocations from high-risk areas.

At least 15 people were confirmed dead and more than 50 families displaced after weeks of torrential rain triggered widespread flooding in Guinea’s capital, Conakry. Emergency officials reported 138 homes damaged across the city, with some neighborhoods nearly inaccessible due to debris and waterlogged roads.

Since late June, unusually heavy downpours have overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems, leading to water accumulation in low-lying areas like Ratoma. Rescue teams and local volunteers have been clearing debris and searching for missing persons amid reports of blocked waterways and collapsing infrastructure.

Authorities acknowledged that outdated urban planning and poor drainage remain major challenges. They pledged to accelerate upgrades to the city's infrastructure and relocate vulnerable households away from high-risk zones before the rainy season peaks.

But with more rain forecast in the coming weeks, residents and civil society groups have called for immediate preventive measures. Many warn that without swift intervention, flooding could claim more lives and deepen the humanitarian crisis in already marginalized communities.

The government has urged the public to remain alert and cooperate with emergency services as the situation evolves.

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