30 die in desert flash flooding
From Times Wire Reports
Torrential rains in the Algerian Sahara caused flash floods that killed 30 people and injured dozens in a historic oasis region, officials in the North African nation said.
Hundreds of people had to be rescued by helicopter and up to 600 houses were destroyed in the rains Tuesday and Wednesday around the medieval town of Ghardaia, the official APS news agency said.
The storms caused a local wadi -- a seasonal river that remains dry for most of the year -- to rise at some points by 26 feet within hours, APS said.
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