At least six people have died and dozens have been injured after flash floods swept across several provinces in northern and western Algeria on Saturday, according to civil defense authorities.
Five victims were killed in M'sila province after a vehicle was swept away by rising waters in Oued Ain Sebaa in the Tamsa municipality, the Algerian Civil Defense said, adding that six others in the same vehicle were rescued.
In western Relizane province, rescuers recovered the body of a 15-year-old boy who was carried away by floodwaters in Oued Cheliff in the Jdiouia municipality.
Civil defense teams also rescued dozens of residents in multiple provinces after floodwaters trapped them and cut off roads, disrupting traffic on several routes.
The floods came after days of severe weather across northern Algeria, including thunderstorms, heavy rain and large hail, which led to overflowing rivers and damage to farmland.
After years of drought, widespread rainfall since late autumn has raised water levels in dozens of dams, and revived many springs that had run dry, while improving vegetation cover.
Authorities said the rainfall is expected to support a strong harvest this year, particularly in cereal production.
