File photo for representational purposes only.
Algiers: Seven people were confirmed dead and six others rescued following heavy rains that triggered flooding in several parts of Algeria, civil defense authorities said on Friday and Saturday.
Five of the victims died late Friday after a vehicle was swept away by floodwaters in M'sila province, about 250 km southeast of the capital Algiers.
The tragedy occurred when a utility vehicle carrying 11 people attempted to cross the usually dry riverbed of Oued Ain Sebaa in the municipality of Tamsa.
Rising waters caused by heavy rains suddenly engulfed the vehicle, dragging it downstream.
Civil defense units intervened and launched a large-scale rescue operation. The six survivors were rescued, received medical care, and were then transferred to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the body of a 15-year-old boy was recovered by civil defense units in the western province of Relizane after he went missing in the municipality of Djdiouia.
In the same province, civil defense teams recovered the body of an 18-year-old man following a search operation in Gargar dam in the municipality of Ammi Moussa.
Heavy rains have affected several regions of the country in recent days, raising water levels in seasonal rivers and posing risks to residents, particularly in low-lying areas.
