Algeria / Rescue operations steadily going on round the clock to help flood victims in Ghardaia

The rescue operations, involving hundreds of aid workers and detachments of the National Popular Army, are still continuing round the clock to help the flood victims in the southern province of Ghardaia, some 600km south of Algiers.

• The Wali or Governor of the province, who is supervising on the spot the rescue operations, has ordered the evacuation of hundreds of families living in precarious dwellings for a safe haven elsewhere pending the rehabilitation and renovation works.
• Local authorities in Ghardaia say that the worst – hit area in the heavy flooding was the district of Ghaba where over 500 houses were destroyed or severely damaged in this natural disaster.
• Health authorities have also launched a cleansing campaign notably concerning potable water in the affected areas to avert the outbreak and propagation of water-borne diseases.
• The flood situation is said to be generally now under control and people in the affected areas are gradually resuming their normal life.
• The land-based and mobile phone systems resumed operation and the power and gas networks are on the way to operation gradually.
• The authorities sent thousands of tents, generators, and 400 tons of food aid to the region and requisitioned two sports halls to install 900 tents and 1,500 camp beds for those who were rendered homeless by the floods.
• The torrential rains caused the M’Zab River to overflow its banks suddenly, thus inundating eight cities in M’Zab Valley, the largest of which is Ghardaia, classified by UNESCO as a UN World Heritage site.